India has moved to counter what it calls “baseless and misleading” Pakistani media reports alleging denial of airspace for a Pakistani relief flight to Sri Lanka. Officials have clarified that Pakistan’s request for overflight permission was submitted on Monday around 1:00 PM IST, and India granted clearance on the same day. The humanitarian nature of the mission to cyclone-hit Sri Lanka prompted India to handle the request with unusual urgency. The approval was finalized and relayed to Pakistan by 5:30 PM IST, a process that took just about four hours. This swift decision was taken on humanitarian grounds, even though Pakistan has previously banned Indian flights. Sources familiar with the matter stated that such allegations from Pakistani media are a form of propaganda and fake news. They affirmed that India processes all overflight and transit requests strictly according to international procedures. Sri Lanka is facing a devastating humanitarian crisis due to Cyclone Ditwah, with severe floods and landslides reported, leading to over 300 fatalities. India’s ‘Operation Sagar Bandhu’ is in full swing, providing extensive humanitarian aid. The Prime Minister has expressed deep concern and assured the neighboring country of India’s full support. Since November 28, India has dispatched 53 tonnes of relief supplies to Sri Lanka via air and sea routes. The government has also successfully repatriated over 2,000 Indian nationals stranded on the island. India’s National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) continues its critical search and rescue operations in severely affected regions, assisting families and ensuring their immediate safety. Over 150 people have been rescued and provided aid through these ongoing efforts.
