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Pakistan Sends Search & Rescue Team, Aid to Cyclone-Hit Sri Lanka
Pakistan has dispatched a 47-member search & rescue team and aid to Sri Lanka after Cyclone Ditwah caused massive flooding and over 400 deaths. Officials say Pakistan stands in full solidarity with Sri Lanka during the crisis.
MH
by Muhammad Hashir
2025-12-03
Pakistan Sends Search & Rescue Team, Aid to Cyclone-Hit Sri Lanka

Pakistan has sent a 47-member urban search and rescue (USAR) team to Sri Lanka after Cyclone Ditwah triggered catastrophic flooding and landslides, leaving more than 400 people dead and thousands displaced. The team departed on Wednesday aboard a Pakistan Air Force C-130 aircraft, carrying 6.5 tons of essential rescue equipment, according to state broadcaster Radio Pakistan.

A formal send-off ceremony was held in Islamabad, where National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Chairman Lt Gen Inam Haider Malik said the deployment was part of Pakistan’s commitment to assist a “brotherly nation” in its time of need. He said both Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir had directed “full-out support” for Sri Lanka’s humanitarian response.

Pakistan’s Immediate Response

Lt Gen Malik noted that Pakistan had been assisting Sri Lanka since November 28, when the cyclone first struck. A Pakistan Navy vessel already patrolling the region was instructed to support evacuation efforts and coordinate with Sri Lankan authorities.

Calling Cyclone Ditwah “unfortunate and unprecedented,” the NDMA chief said the shift in cyclone patterns—previously uncommon in the South Pacific—highlighted the global threat of climate change. He added that the dispatched team is a highly trained military search and rescue group with extensive international experience and will remain in Sri Lanka “as long as required.”

Yesterday, Pakistan also sent 200 tons of relief cargo from Karachi via commercial shipping, with more consignments planned from Lahore and Karachi in the coming days.

India Accused of Blocking Relief Flights

The development comes amid diplomatic tension, as the Foreign Office stated that Pakistan’s C-130 aircraft had been delayed for days due to India withholding flight clearance for the humanitarian mission. A statement from the Pakistan High Commission in Sri Lanka accused India of “shenanigans” that stalled the deployment of aircraft carrying field hospitals, sniffer dogs, USAR teams, and nearly 200 tons of supplies — all stranded at Noor Khan Air Base since Saturday.

PM Shehbaz Oversees Relief Coordination

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chaired a high-level meeting on Tuesday to review relief operations in cyclone-hit regions of Sri Lanka. He directed authorities to ensure full support, not only during the rescue phase but also in reconstruction and rehabilitation.

“Pakistan will also play a significant role in the restoration and rehabilitation of flood-affected areas of Sri Lanka,” the PM was quoted as saying.

The meeting was informed that Pakistan Navy Ship Saif, already deployed near Sri Lanka, had rescued a family stranded for five days using its onboard helicopter.

Sri Lankan President Thanks Pakistan

Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake phoned PM Shehbaz on Tuesday to express gratitude for Pakistan’s swift response and solidarity. He thanked Pakistan for being among the first countries to mobilise assistance following the cyclone’s devastation.

PM Shehbaz conveyed sorrow over the heavy loss of life and property, assuring continued support from the government and people of Pakistan.
Tagged:

HumanitarianAid

CycloneDitwah

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