Pakistan TV Satellite

ISLAMABAD: Minister of Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed to provide &ldquo;all possible help&rdquo; to Sri Lanka in this time of need, as the South Asian nation reels from deadly floods and landslides, with the death toll reaching 390 and 352 people still reported missing. Cyclone Ditwah, bringing powerful winds and torrential rains, triggered Sri Lanka&rsquo;s worst flooding in a decade when it struck on Friday, unleashing deadly landslides across the country&rsquo;s hilly central regions. &ldquo;Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed to provide all possible help [to Sri Lanka] in this time of need,&rdquo; Tarar said in a post on X. Pakistan Navy ship PNS Saif, which was on a port call at Colombo for participation in an international fleet review, is actively undertaking relief operations for the local populace. The Pakistan Navy has continued relief operations in Sri Lanka for the third consecutive day. On Monday, a Navy helicopter aboard PNS Saif successfully rescued a family that had been stranded for five days, including a seven-month-old child. With the assistance of local authorities, the Navy safely evacuated residents trapped in floodwaters from rooftops to secure locations. Earlier, the Pakistan Navy also delivered food staples, MREs, medical supplies, and other essential items to support thousands struggling in the aftermath of the disaster. India denies Pakistan air route for Sri Lanka reliefThe relief operations, however, have faced obstacles due to India&rsquo;s refusal to grant airspace access for Pakistan&rsquo;s humanitarian mission. Pakistan Army has prepared a 45-member urban search-and-rescue team from the Army, with support from the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Pakistan Air Force C-130 aircraft, to assist the affected population. Despite all logistical arrangements, including commercial cargo planes with a 100-ton capacity, Indian airspace restrictions have slowed down relief operations. Consequently, Pakistan&rsquo;s aid and rescue teams had to reroute shipments via sea, delaying delivery to Sri Lanka by eight days. The relief cargo includes rescue boats, pumps, life jackets, tents, blankets, food, milk, and medicines. Despite these challenges, Pakistan remains committed to assisting Sri Lanka&rsquo;s flood victims.

SAT News Desk

Relief operations have faced obstacles due to India’s refusal to grant airspace access for Pakistan’s humanitarian mission; Pakistan Army has prepared a 45-member urban search-and-rescue team from the Army, with support from the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Pakistan Air Force C-130 aircraft, to assist the affected population.



Articles tagged with "srilanka"

PM Sharif directs to provide full support for flood-hit Sri Lanka — information minister