New Delhi: India Tuesday trashed as ‘ridiculous’ Pakistan’s claim that its request for using Indian airspace to send humanitarian aid to cyclone-hit Sri Lanka was denied by New Delhi.
“We reject the ridiculous statement made by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan, which is yet another attempt of spreading anti-India misinformation,” Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.
The request for overflight clearance for a Pakistani aircraft carrying humanitarian assistance to Sri Lanka was received by the Indian high commission in Islamabad at around 1 pm Monday, he said.
“Given the urgency of humanitarian assistance, the government of India processed the request expeditiously the same day and granted the overflight permission as per the itinerary proposed at 5:30 pm December 1,” Jaiswal added.
“India remains committed to assisting the people of Sri Lanka in these challenging times through all available means,” he said in response to media queries on the issue.
Jaiswal’s remarks came hours after Pakistan alleged that its relief operations for cyclone-hit Sri Lanka were being “hampered by lack of cooperation” by India as it delayed permission to use its airspace.
“India continues to block humanitarian assistance from Pakistan to Sri Lanka. The special aircraft carrying Pakistan’s humanitarian assistance to Sri Lanka continues to face delays for over 60 hours now awaiting flight clearance from India,” the Pakistan Foreign Office alleged.
Sri Lanka has been reeling under flooding, landslides and infrastructure collapse triggered by a cyclone.
India has launched Operation Sagar Bandhu to help the island nation recover from the devastation.
At least 410 people were killed and 336 missing till Tuesday morning in the catastrophic floods and landslides, according to Sri Lankan authorities.
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