ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s relief mission to Sri Lanka has been unexpectedly delayed after India denied permission for the country’s aircraft to use its airspace, hampering efforts to deliver urgent assistance to victims of Cyclone Ditwah.
A 45-member Urban Search and Rescue team of the Pakistan Army, prepared to depart via a C-130 aircraft with support from the NDMA and Pakistan Air Force, was unable to take off following New Delhi’s refusal. Pakistan described the mission as purely humanitarian, aimed at aiding a nation grappling with its deadliest natural disaster in more than a decade.
Attempts to send 100 tonnes of relief goods on commercial cargo flights have also stalled for the same reason, as these routes likewise depend on Indian airspace. With no aerial access, Pakistan has shifted to transporting supplies by sea — a journey expected to take around eight days, significantly slowing the delivery of emergency assistance.
Former ambassador Asif Durrani criticised India’s decision, calling it petty and recalling similar refusals in past crises, including when Pakistan sought to send aid to Nepal. He noted that Pakistan had previously allowed India to send wheat to Afghanistan via land when alternatives through Iran proved costly.
Cyclone Ditwah has shattered communities across Sri Lanka, causing catastrophic flooding, landslides, and widespread displacement. The death toll has climbed to at least 355, with 366 people still missing. More than half a million residents have been affected, and rescue teams are struggling to reach isolated areas as roads remain submerged or blocked by landslides.
Authorities say the storm is now weakening as it moves northwards. Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has described the catastrophe as the most severe and challenging natural disaster the country has ever faced.
