Pakistan's 'solidarity gesture' to Sri Lanka backfired on Monday after photos of the relief packages it sent to flood-hit families contained expired products. The Pakistan High Commission in Colombo had posted images of the consignment with the caption "PAKISTAN STANDS WITH SRI LANKA TODAY AND ALWAYS." However, zoomed-in photos revealed expiry dates of October 2024, raising serious questions about the quality and sincerity of the assistance.
The images, intended to showcase Pakistan's support for Sri Lanka amid Cyclone Ditwah's devastation, quickly triggered outrage online, with many calling the gesture "performative" and "careless," especially at a time when Sri Lanka is battling a humanitarian crisis.
The contrast with India's response could not be more striking.
Under Operation Sagar Bandhu, India has mounted one of its largest Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) missions in recent years—delivering 53 tonnes of relief material, deploying NDRF teams, conducting extensive air evacuations, and bringing home over 2,000 stranded Indian nationals from the island.
Since November 28, India has delivered:
- 9.5 tonnes of emergency rations via Indian Navy ships
- 31.5 tonnes of tents, tarpaulins, blankets, ready-to-eat food, medicines and surgical equipment via the Indian Air Force
- BHISHM Modular Trauma Cubes, a five-member medical team for on-site training
- 80 personnel from NDRF for search-and-rescue
- Additional 12 tonnes of supplies via INS Sukanya
Indian helicopters—Chetak from INS Vikrant and IAF Mi-17s—have airlifted stranded Sri Lankans and foreign nationals, including infants, pregnant women, and critically injured individuals. At least 150 people have already been rescued, with operations continuing across the island.
Rescued nationals include citizens of Sri Lanka, India, Germany, Slovenia, UK, South Africa, Poland, Belarus, Iran, Australia, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.
The MEA reiterated that India's response is guided by its Neighbourhood First and Vision MAHASAGAR policies—under which India remains Sri Lanka's "first responder."
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka continues to battle the fallout of Cyclone Ditwah, with the death toll rising to 355, 366 missing, and over 1.1 million people affected, according to the Disaster Management Centre.
As India intensified rescue operations, Pakistan found itself under scrutiny for sending expired goods in the middle of a national tragedy—a move widely criticised as "cheap theatrics" and a publicity stunt gone wrong.
