Pakistan’s effort to express solidarity with flood-ravaged Sri Lanka turned into a public relations setback after the Pakistan High Commission’s own photos of relief supplies revealed labels showing that the goods had expired months ago. The images quickly ignited criticism across social media platforms.

The controversy unfolded shortly after the mission posted pictures of the aid shipment on X, praising Pakistan’s support for Sri Lanka in its moment of crisis.

However, many users zoomed in on the package labels that read “EXP: 10/2024,” noting that the date had already passed. The discovery sparked sharp accusations that Islamabad had dispatched outdated material to a country struggling with widespread devastation.

BACKLASH AFTER PAKISTAN’S POST

The High Commission had written, “Always standing together — Pakistan stands with Sri Lanka today and always,” while announcing the dispatch of relief supplies for displaced families.

But the goodwill message was overshadowed by the expiry-date controversy. Social media users questioned how the mission shared the images without checking the labels, while others condemned the alleged insensitivity of sending products past their shelf-life.

Pakistan has yet to issue any official statement addressing the concerns.

INDIA’S RELIEF OPERATION DRAWS CONTRAST

As Pakistan found itself under scrutiny, India accelerated a large humanitarian effort to help Sri Lanka in the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah, which caused massive flooding, casualties and extensive damage.

Under Operation Sagar Bandhu, India has transported 53 tonnes of relief supplies by air and sea since November 28. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, more than 2,000 Indian nationals stranded on the island have been evacuated.

“NDRF teams continue search and rescue in isolated regions. Over 150 people have been rescued,” the MEA stated. The relief shipments travelled aboard IAF aircraft and Indian Navy ships such as INS Vikrant, INS Udaygiri and INS Sukanya.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar also shared photographs of INS Sukanya arriving in Trincomalee with humanitarian cargo.

AIR OPS, NAVAL SUPPORT & MULTI-COUNTRY RESCUES

Working with Sri Lankan authorities, helicopters from INS Vikrant and IAF MI-17s carried out dramatic rescues, airlifting stranded civilians — including children, pregnant women and severely injured individuals.

Those saved included nationals from Sri Lanka, India, Germany, Slovenia, the UK, South Africa, Poland, Belarus, Iran, Australia, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

India first delivered 9.5 tonnes of emergency rations via two Navy ships that reached Colombo soon after the cyclone. Additional assistance followed, including:

• 31.5 tonnes on IAF aircraft (tents, blankets, medicines, hygiene kits, surgical items, and two BHISHM medical cubes)

• An 80-member NDRF Urban Search and Rescue team

• 12 more tonnes transported on INS Sukanya

IAF aircraft — including C-130J and IL-76 — continued evacuating stranded Indians, flying them back to Hindon and Trivandrum.