Muhammad Usman Amin

PESHAWAR: With militant groups in northwestern Pakistan increasingly deploying drone technology to strike security forces and state installations, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) authorities have begun rolling out advanced anti-drone guns as part of a revised counter-terror response, senior police officials said.&nbsp;Militant outfits operating in KP have steadily expanded their use of quadcopter drones to launch attacks, shifting the conflict &ldquo;from a horizontal to a vertical level.&rdquo;&nbsp;Speaking to Pakistan TV Digital, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Bannu Police Sajjad Khan said the drones being used are &ldquo;acquired through the black market and smuggled across the border from Afghanistan.&rdquo;&nbsp;According to internal estimates, 57 drone-assisted attacks were reported between July and August alone.&nbsp;Earlier this month, militants targeted the Khadi Fort of paramilitary forces in Mir Ali, North Waziristan. Before using a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED), militants deployed drones to strike the compound and divert security personnel.&nbsp;In another incident in Bannu district, officials reported at least eight drone attacks over recent months, including one where an explosive drone missed its intended target and hit a nearby house, killing a woman and injuring three children.&nbsp;The drones, often commercially available quadcopters modified to carry explosives or mortar shells, have prompted a new defensive strategy.&nbsp;The KP police have begun equipping personnel with anti-drone guns designed to disrupt the communication link between a drone and its operator. These devices emit electromagnetic pulses that jam the drone&rsquo;s control, navigation, and video feed, forcing it to land safely and allowing for intelligence extraction.&nbsp;Sajjad Khan said the technology can disable suspicious drones from up to three kilometers away, providing protection for public gatherings, security convoys, and sensitive locations.&nbsp;The first operational deployment took place in July during the Ashura procession in Peshawar, where officials say the technology helped prevent attacks during an event historically vulnerable to violence.&nbsp;Initially, anti-drone systems are being deployed in Peshawar, Bannu, and Bajaur, districts that have seen a spike in militant activity.&nbsp;The Public Relations Officer (PRO) to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) KP, Riaz Khan, told Pakistan TV Digital that the technology &ldquo;is now being used in many areas,&rdquo; and that its introduction has &ldquo;successfully reduced drone attacks to zero in the areas where it has been implemented.&rdquo;&nbsp;This early success has encouraged a broader rollout. IGP KP Zulfiquar Hameed recently announced that 70 drones will be deployed across the province, including to the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD), alongside the acquisition of additional anti-drone guns. The objective, he said, is to build a &ldquo;comprehensive security umbrella&rdquo; across KP.&nbsp;The KP police say they remain committed to &ldquo;making the citizens of KP and Pakistan safer by equipping their forces with the latest technologies.&rdquo;

Security

In Pakistan’s northwestern province, authorities have deployed anti-drone guns to counter militants increasingly using quadcopter drones for attacks, disrupting their communication signals and reducing drone strikes in key high-risk districts.

Articles tagged with "anti-drone technology"

Pakistan deploys anti-drone tech to counter militants in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa