Pakistan said India was blocking its humanitarian assistance to cyclone-hit Sri Lanka. The Foreign Office reported that Pakistan’s relief aircraft had faced over 60 hours of delay. It added that flight clearance from India was still pending despite repeated requests.
The FO said India granted partial clearance after 48 hours, but it was operationally useless. It noted that the window for flying was too short and did not include permission for the return route. It said the restrictions severely affected the urgent relief mission for Sri Lanka’s cyclone victims. It also recalled that both countries closed their airspaces in April.
Read more: Cyclone Ditwah death toll rises to 355 in Sri Lanka
Cyclone Ditwah struck Sri Lanka on Friday with strong winds and heavy rains. It caused the country’s worst flooding in 10 years. The disaster triggered landslides, destroyed homes, and displaced large numbers of people.
India continues to block humanitarian assistance from Pakistan to Sri Lanka. The special aircraft carrying Pakistan’s humanitarian assistance to Sri Lanka continues to face delay for over 60 hours now awaiting flight clearance from India.
The partial flight clearance issued by…
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) December 2, 2025
According to official data, the death toll reached 355, while 366 people remained missing. Authorities said more than 833,000 citizens were affected, including over 230,000 families. Tens of thousands took shelter in emergency camps as the government declared a state of emergency to speed up relief.
Read more: Sri Lanka reels as cyclone deaths surge to 159
Meanwhile, Pakistan continued separate rescue operations through the Pakistan Navy. A Z-9 helicopter from PNS Saif rescued a family stranded for five days in Colombo. The operation safely recovered the family, including a 7-month-old baby, from a rooftop surrounded by floodwater.