ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Tuesday said that India continued blocking its humanitarian assistance for Sri Lanka, where devastating floods and landslides have killed at least 465 people and displaced more than a million people.
Pakistan said a special relief aircraft had been unable to secure Indian overflight clearance for more than 60 hours, forcing the government to reroute its aid shipment by sea.
Pakistan’s Foreign Office spokesperson said that India had issued only a “partial and operationally impractical” clearance after a delay of 48 hours.
The spokesperson said the narrow time window and absence of authorisation for the return flight made the plan unworkable.
“India continues to block humanitarian assistance from Pakistan to Sri Lanka,” the spokesperson said. “The delay is severely hindering this urgent relief mission for the brotherly people of Sri Lanka.”
Pakistan has since dispatched 200 tonnes of relief supplies to Sri Lanka via sea cargo. The journey will take around eight days.
🇵🇰 dispatched 200 tons of humanitarian assistance to 🇱🇰 via sea cargo to support relief efforts following the devastating cyclone Ditwah.
A send off ceremony was held in Islamabad attended by H.E. Bilal Azhar Kayani, Minister of State for Finance and H.E. Rear Admiral (Rtd)…
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) December 2, 2025
Cyclone Ditwah leaves massive destruction
Sri Lanka is reeling from the impact of Cyclone Ditwah, which brought heavy rain across the country. Flash floods and landslides have devastated many districts.
The country’s Disaster Management Centre said at least 465 people had been killed and 366 remained missing. Officials warned that the toll could rise as rescuers regain access to areas cut off for days.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake declared a nationwide state of emergency. He described the cyclone as the “most challenging natural disaster in our history.”
More than 1.5 million people have been affected. Officials said 1.7 million people were experiencing the effects of floods or landslides.
Weather disaster affects four countries
Floodwaters in Colombo began to recede on Tuesday, but landslide alerts remained in place across the central highlands, the worst-hit region.
The disaster is the most deadly since the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, which devastated Sri Lanka’s coastline.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka’s air force, with support from Pakistan’s military, has been evacuating stranded residents and delivering food and essential supplies. Officials said the number of casualties is likely to rise as crews continue to dig through mud and debris in remote towns.
The cyclone and torrential monsoon rains also affected Indonesia’s Sumatra region, southern Thailand, and northern Malaysia.
Authorities and aid groups in Indonesia and Sri Lanka are rushing assistance to hundreds of thousands stranded by the floods. More than 1,300 people have died across the four Asian countries.
Scientists say climate change is intensifying rainfall and storms. Warmer oceans and warmer air, which can hold more moisture, are producing more extreme weather events.
Pakistan has donated ration bags to the flood affected people through Gangarama Temple, Colombo today. The High Commissioner Maj Gen Faheem Ul Aziz visited the temple also. @anuradisanayake @Dr_HariniA @MFA_SriLanka pic.twitter.com/d6rfi4O9OO
— Pakistan High Commission Sri Lanka (@PakinSriLanka) December 2, 2025
Pakistan sends relief via sea
Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said a send-off ceremony for the 200-tonne aid shipment was held in Islamabad.
The event was attended by Minister of State for Finance Bilal Azhar Kayani and Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to Pakistan, Admiral Ravindra C. Wijegunaratne (retd).
The relief package includes tents, blankets, quilts, life jackets, rescue boats, de-watering pumps, rechargeable lamps, sleeping mats, mosquito nets, infant dry milk, ready-to-use therapeutic food, and essential medicines.
The National Disaster Management Authority organised the shipment under directives from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and with support from the Chief of Army Staff, Field Marshal Asim Munir.
Minister Bilal Azhar Kayani praised NDMA’s “swift and coordinated” response. He said the agency’s actions demonstrated Pakistan’s commitment to humanitarian values and regional solidarity.
Sri Lanka’s ambassador thanked Pakistan for its assistance. He said the Sri Lankan people were “deeply moved” by the support and noted that Pakistan was among the first countries to respond to the crisis.
NDMA said the consignment was rerouted via sea after India rejected Pakistan’s request to use Indian airspace.
The denial followed a similar experience with a Pakistan Air Force aircraft that had been waiting for more than 60 hours for clearance.
Shehbaz Sharif expresses solidarity with Sri Lanka
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif spoke by phone with Sri Lankan President Dissanayake on Tuesday.
PM Sharif expressed “profound grief” over the loss of life and destruction caused by the cyclone. He said Pakistan stood in “complete solidarity” with Sri Lanka during this crisis and recalled Pakistan’s own vulnerability to climate-related disasters.
He praised Sri Lankan authorities and rescue teams for their efforts under difficult conditions. The Sri Lankan president thanked Pakistan for its message of solidarity and for its rapid humanitarian support. Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to deepen bilateral cooperation.
