Punjab govt to establish anti-drone units across province

• Advanced jamming technology to be used for drone neutralisation.
• Units will conduct aerial surveillance using specialised drone fleets.
• Each unit and system will operate under the district police officer.
  

LAHORE: The Punjab government has decided to establish anti-drone units in all districts of the province to disable “unauthorised drones operated by enemies of Pakistan or miscreants using advanced jamming technology.”

In a statement, the provincial Home Department said the units will conduct aerial surveillance using specialised drone fleets to monitor district airspace.

The announcement follows the federal government’s decision last month to impose a ban on all drone operations across the country after tensions escalated between Pakistan and Afghanistan following border clashes.

According to the Punjab Home Department, each anti-drone unit and its associated systems will operate under the leadership of the District Police Officer (DPO) of the respective district.

“The systems are designed to disable unauthorised drones operated by miscreants or enemies using advanced jamming technology,” a home department spokesperson said.

The spokesperson added that Section 144 is currently in force across Punjab, prohibiting the flying of outdoor drones. The Punjab government had imposed the ban on public drone usage due to ongoing security concerns.

Following intense border clashes between Pakistan and Afghanistan, triggered by unprovoked attacks carried out by the Afghan Taliban regime on February 26, the federal government banned all drone operations across the country.

Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said during a press briefing on February 27 that drone attacks in KP’s Abbottabad and Nowshera were foiled during the exchange of fire with the Taliban regime.

Federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar also confirmed that security forces successfully neutralised multiple small drones launched by Fitna al-Khawarij militants in parts of KP following the tensions with the Taliban regime.