Sri Lanka is currently dealing with the severe impact of Cyclone Ditwah, which has caused widespread flooding and hardship across the country. In a gesture of support, Pakistan sent humanitarian aid to help the affected people. However, the goodwill effort turned into an embarrassing situation after the Pakistani embassy in Colombo posted photos of the relief materials,  and the labels on the products revealed that they were expired.

The embassy shared a picture on social media showing cartons of food and supplies with the caption: “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.” The intention was clearly to highlight Pakistan’s support at a difficult time for Sri Lanka.

But instead, the photo drew attention for a different reason. Social media users quickly noticed that the products packed in 2022 had a shelf life until 2024. Since it is now December 2025, the items had expired more than a year ago. The expiry date was clearly visible in the photograph uploaded by the embassy itself, leaving little room for Pakistan to claim misinformation or propaganda.

This raised questions about whether it was a major oversight by Pakistani authorities or an assumption that no one would check the dates. Many social media users criticized the act as irresponsible, especially when Sri Lanka is battling a natural disaster and urgently needs usable supplies.

Despite the controversy, the Pakistani embassy captioned the post by saying, “Pakistan stands with Sri Lanka today and always.” But this time, the support came in the form of expired goods, leading to embarrassment for Islamabad. Sri Lankan authorities, who are currently focused on managing the cyclone’s impact, have not released any official statement regarding the issue.