As Sri Lanka struggles to recover from the devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwah, a new controversy has surfaced over a relief shipment sent by Pakistan. Photos shared online show cartons of food and essential supplies that appear to be close to or past their expiry date.
The images, which were posted by the Pakistan High Commission on social media platform X, show boxes containing water, milk and biscuits meant for cyclone-hit communities in Sri Lanka. However, several cartons in the photographs seem to display an expiry marking of “EXP: 10/2024.” This quickly sparked outrage online, with many accusing Pakistan of sending expired food to a country already facing a severe humanitarian crisis.
According to reports, Sri Lankan authorities were taken aback by the discovery and expressed their displeasure to Islamabad through both official and unofficial channels. The incident has reportedly prompted Colombo to reconsider how it screens and verifies incoming relief supplies, especially from countries that have previously faced criticism over the quality of aid sent.
Sri Lanka is still reeling from the impact of Cyclone Ditwah, which has claimed over 400 lives and left more than 350 people missing. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has declared a nationwide emergency, calling the cyclone “the most challenging natural disaster in our history.” Thousands of families remain displaced, and large parts of the country are struggling with damaged infrastructure, food shortages and disrupted basic services.
In contrast, India has stepped in with large-scale assistance under its initiative, Operation Sagar Bandhu, sending relief materials, rescue teams, medical support and essential supplies to aid its neighbour during the crisis.
This is not the first time Pakistan’s relief efforts have attracted controversy. In 2015, during the Nepal earthquake, Islamabad was criticised for sending beef-based ready-to-eat meals to the Hindu-majority country, a move that many described as culturally insensitive.
In Sri Lanka, social media users have labelled the current incident as careless and disrespectful. Some have called the alleged supply of expired goods an embarrassment to humanitarian diplomacy, while others have urged their government to hold Pakistan accountable.
So far, Pakistan has not issued an official response.