Cyclone Ditwah: Did Pakistan send expired aid to Sri Lanka? Internet has a field day over deleted X post

A screenshot of a now-deleted social media post is going viral on the internet, highlighting the expired food packets that Pakistan allegedly sent to Sri Lanka as relief after Cyclone Ditwah.

The consignment was dispatched in support of the country, which is reeling from landslides and flooding due to Cyclone Ditwah. But an X post hailing the relief work was shared by the Pakistan High Commission in Colombo.

“Always standing together! Relief packages from Pakistan have been successfully delivered to assist our brothers and sisters affected by the recent floods in Sri Lanka, which signifies our unwavering solidarity,” read the post.

Netizens quickly noticed what appeared to be expiry dates of October 2024 printed on the same packages. The replies to the post highlighted the expiry dates, with some users claiming that Pakistan is "disposing of garbage" by sending expired relief material as aid to cyclone-hit Sri Lanka.

The post has now been deleted. The screenshot, however, is everywhere on the internet.

Another user chimed in with friendly mischief, warning the High Commission to steer clear of the comments section if they valued their peace. “Paijaan, comments mat kholna,” the user joked.

Torrential monsoon rains, combined with two tropical cyclones, last week unleashed widespread flooding across Sri Lanka, as well as parts of Indonesia’s Sumatra, southern Thailand, and northern Malaysia.

390 people have died so far

In Sri Lanka alone, at least 390 people have died, and 352 are still missing. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has declared a state of emergency, calling it “the most challenging natural disaster in our history.”

A user pointed out that the items visible in the photo were actually Sri Lankan biscuits.

This isn’t Pakistan’s first brush with relief-package controversy. Back in the 2015 Nepal earthquake, Islamabad managed to spark a mini diplomatic firestorm by sending beef-based ready-to-eat meals to a largely Hindu nation — a move that had many accusing it of serving up cultural insensitivity on a platter.