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Pakistan Faces Backlash Over Expired Aid to Cyclone-Hit Sri Lanka

    

A humanitarian effort by Pakistan to assist cyclone-ravaged Sri Lanka has spiraled into a diplomatic embarrassment and social media firestorm. On December 2, 2025, images posted by the Pakistan High Commission in Colombo, celebrating aid delivery to the island nation, quickly drew public scrutiny for showing relief items with expiry dates of October 2024. This revelation sparked widespread outrage, forcing the High Commission to delete its initial celebratory post.

Sri Lanka is currently reeling from Cyclone Ditwah, which made landfall on November 28, causing over 410 deaths and displacing 1.5 million people. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake declared a state of emergency, calling it the "most challenging natural disaster in our history" and appealing for international support. India swiftly responded with Operation Sagar Bandhu, delivering over 53 tons of supplies and rescue teams.

Pakistan announced its aid package on November 30, promising 100-200 tons of food, medical supplies, and tents. However, the subsequent delivery, intended as a gesture of solidarity, became a public relations disaster. Social media users quickly identified "EXP: 10/2024" labels on items like flour and milk powder in the High Commission's own photographs. One widely shared reply put it bluntly: "Instead of disposing in garbage, Pakistan chose to send its expired food materials to flood-hit Sri Lanka."

Sri Lankan officials have since flagged a significant portion of the consignment as unusable during inspections, conveying "serious concern" through diplomatic channels. While the Pakistan High Commission issued vague clarifications dismissing "fake agendas," no formal admission or denial of the expired goods has been made. Meanwhile, Pakistan's Foreign Office continued to blame India for a 60-hour delay in overflight clearance for its aid flights, a claim India's Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal refuted as "ridiculous misinformation," confirming clearance was granted within hours.

The incident echoes past criticisms of Pakistan's aid practices, including accusations of sending culturally insensitive items to Nepal in 2015 and damaged supplies to Afghanistan in 2021. The controversy underscores the critical need for rigorous pre-shipment checks in humanitarian aid, ensuring that genuine assistance isn't overshadowed by avoidable blunders.

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