A deleted X post from Pakistan’s High Commission in Colombo sparked outrage after showing relief packages with October 2024 expiry dates sent to Sri Lanka amid Cyclone Ditwah’s devastation, which killed over 300 people and left several missing as of recent counts.
The post praised Pakistan’s solidarity but drew netizen backlash accusing Islamabad of sending “garbage,” while one user noted the items might be Sri Lankan biscuits; Pakistan claimed India delayed aid via airspace denial, but India refuted this as baseless and highlighted its swift 53-tonne delivery.
Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake declared a state of emergency, calling it the nation’s worst disaster, with no official Colombo response yet on the expired aid.
Cyclone Ditwah Wrath
Cyclone Ditwah, fueled by torrential monsoon rains and twin tropical cyclones, battered Sri Lanka last week, triggering floods and landslides that hit Colombo outskirts like Wellampitiya hardest and extended to Indonesia’s Sumatra, southern Thailand, and northern Malaysia.
Millions of residents faced displacement, with roads blocked and isolated areas hard to reach, marking Sri Lanka’s deadliest natural disaster in decades killing over 300 and missing several. President Dissanayake’s emergency declaration mobilised national efforts as rescue operations struggled against rising waters.
Aid Race Begins
India launched Operation Sagar Bandhu promptly, airlifting 53 tonnes of tents, blankets, ready-to-eat meals, and hygiene kits, plus deploying 80 National Disaster Response Force personnel for urban search and rescue; it evacuated over 2,000 stranded Indians.
Pakistan dispatched a 45-member army urban search and rescue team via C-130, alongside 200 tonnes by sea after alleged air delays, and the Navy Ship Saif delivered food staples, first-aid kits, and medicines during a Colombo port call. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered rapid mobilisation, with Foreign Office posts affirming solidarity.
Social Media Storm
Pakistan High Commission’s X post stated, “Always standing together! Relief packages from Pakistan have been successfully delivered to assist our brothers and sisters affected by the recent floods in Sri Lanka, which signifies our unwavering solidarity,” but close inspection revealed October 2024 expiry dates on visible packets, prompting deletions and viral screenshots.
Netizens mocked with phrases like “disposing of garbage” and jokes such as “Paijaan, comments mat kholna,” while one claimed the biscuits were local Sri Lankan products; this echoes Pakistan’s 2015 Nepal earthquake misstep of sending beef meals to a Hindu-majority area.
Pakistani media persisted with airspace blockade claims, refuted by India as “baseless and misleading,” amid reports of one-year-expired medical supplies too.
Diplomatic Ripples
Colombo flagged the expired aid, demanding answers and expecting formal raises, damaging Pakistan’s credibility as Sri Lanka battles post-cyclone chaos with over 1,200 regional deaths reported in some tallies.
India’s humanitarian gesture stood out, granting airspace clearance swiftly while underscoring regional cooperation; Pakistan shifted to sea shipments attended by Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner in Islamabad.
No direct Sri Lankan official quotes on the controversy emerged yet, but the scandal turned intended PR into embarrassment, contrasting genuine aid drives.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Humanitarian crises demand utmost care, transparency, and respect, not shortcuts that risk lives or breed mistrust among neighbours striving for recovery.
True solidarity shines through verifiable quality aid and open collaboration, fostering harmony over blame games that distract from suffering communities. Nations must prioritise empathy, rigorous checks, and dialogue to build resilient ties.
