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New Delhi: The devastating Cyclone Ditwah has extensively damaged Sri Lanka, and friendly neighbour India has extended a helping hand by deploying two specialised NDRF teams to support search, rescue, and relief operations, with the Army sending aid contingents amid other measures.
In such a scenario, Pakistan has claimed that India delayed overflight clearance for an aircraft carrying humanitarian aid to the island nation. New Delhi on Tuesday firmly brushed aside the allegation, calling it "ridiculous" with Pakistan trying to spread misinformation.
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that Pakistan is once again trying to push fake narratives and highlighted how India, on the other hand, has been helping Sri Lanka during the crisis.
The MEA has cleared the air by stating that on December 1, the Indian High Commission in Islamabad received Pakistan's request for overflight clearance at around 1 pm. New Delhi processed the request on that very day and gave its permission by 5:30 pm, refuting Pakistan's claim. According to news agency PTI, it took just four hours to process Pakistan's request. It came as a humanitarian gesture against Pakistan's ongoing ban on Indian airlines from using its airspace.
Government officials have reportedly slammed the media coverage in Pakistan as fake news and propaganda. They refuted Islamabad's claims as baseless and misleading, and promised to help Sri Lanka, which has been wrecked by severe floods caused by a powerful cyclone, killing over 390 people according to reports.
People on social media have reportedly slammed Pakistan after pictures of relief packages it allegedly sent to Sri Lanka became viral. Netizens pointed out that some of the packets had “EXP: 10/2024” printed on them.
The Indian Army has sprung into helping Sri Lanka with a swift and coordinated humanitarian response. It has deployed a specialised contingent to Sri Lanka under Operation Sagar Bandhu, comprising dedicated medical, engineering and signals components equipped to provide immediate and sustained relief. The medical team includes Advanced Dressing Stations (ADS) and Mobile Surgical Teams (MST), equipped with an operating theatre, capable of conducting major and minor surgeries. It also has a dedicated facility to hold 20–30 patients at a time.
