Pakistan today formally accused India of obstructing a crucial humanitarian aid mission to Sri Lanka, stating that a special relief aircraft has been awaiting flight clearance for more than sixty hours.

In a prepared announcement, Foreign Office Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi confirmed that the special aircraft designated to carry humanitarian supplies remains grounded due to the extended delay.

The spokesperson detailed that after a 48-hour wait, Indian authorities issued a partial flight clearance which was subsequently deemed operationally impractical by Pakistan.

Andrabi clarified that the authorization was severely restrictive, being time-bound for only a few hours and failing to provide validity for the return flight. This, the statement asserted, has severely hindered the urgent relief mission intended for the “brotherly people of Sri Lanka”.