ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday said Pakistan would continue to provide all possible assistance to Sri Lanka as the tropical island nation recovers from floods and landslides triggered by Cyclone Ditwah that has killed more than 400 people.
The statement comes after Pakistan dispatched 200 tons of humanitarian aid to Sri Lanka by sea after Islamabad said India had refused to grant airspace clearance to a special Pakistani flight carrying relief goods for more than 60 hours.
New Delhi dismissed the statement as “anti-India misinformation.”
Cyclone Ditwah struck Sri Lanka in late November, triggering severe floods and landslides across the country. Authorities described the disaster as the worst flooding in decades and said it has killed at least 410 people, with 336 still missing.
The cyclone also displaced thousands and caused widespread damage to homes, roads and infrastructure.
“My good friend President Anura Kumara Dissanayake called me this evening. I conveyed my deepest sorrow over the tragic loss of life and property due to the devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwah in Sri Lanka,” Sharif said in a post on X.
“We are immediately dispatching urgently needed humanitarian assistance to support our Sri Lankan brothers and sisters and will continue to offer whatever help we can, as Sri Lanka recovers from this calamity.”
https://x.com/cmshehbaz/status/1995892226090827786?
The prime minister also extended condolences to the bereaved families and commended the “courageous” efforts of Sri Lankan authorities and rescue teams in difficult conditions.
“As a neighbor and brotherly country, Pakistan has always stood in full solidarity with Sri Lanka, especially in moments of grief,” he added.
The Pakistan navy participated in rescue operations in Sri Lanka this week to evacuate a family stranded on a rooftop for five days and moved them to safety.
Pakistan and Sri Lanka share friendly ties, cooperating in trade, defense, education, culture and sports, particularly cricket.
Pakistan has also been reeling from floods this year that killed more than 1,000 people and affected around 3.6 million across the country, one of the most vulnerable to climate change, where scientists say rising temperatures are making South Asian monsoon rains heavier and more erratic.
