India persists in obstructing humanitarian aid to cyclone-affected Sri Lanka: Foreign Office

The Foreign Office (FO) stated that India is obstructing Pakistan’s humanitarian aid to Sri Lanka.

Foreign Office Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi stated that the special aircraft transporting Pakistan’s humanitarian cargo to Sri Lanka has been delayed for almost 60 hours, awaiting flight clearance from India.

The partial flight permission granted by India last night, after a duration of 48 hours, was operationally unfeasible since it was limited to a few hours and lacked validity for the return flight, so significantly obstructing the urgent relief mission for the people of Sri Lanka.

Pakistan Navy Ship PNS Saif conducted Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) activities in areas of Sri Lanka affected by Cyclone Ditwah.

On the second day of relief operations, the ship’s embarked Z9EC helicopter conducted several missions over areas in Colombo and its vicinity that were severely impacted by flooding, according to a news release from the Director General of Public Relations (NAVY).

The dead toll from the cyclone in Sri Lanka has risen to 355, with 366 individuals reported missing.

The helicopter, in close collaboration with Sri Lankan authorities, transported vital food provisions and emergency supplies to isolated residents in flooded residential areas unreachable by road.

PNS Saif, during its overseas deployment to Sri Lanka, will persist in relief activities in the forthcoming days to assist and provide help to the Sri Lankan population in their time of need.