More KP districts to get drones, anti-drone guns

PESHAWAR: Police in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have been equipped with anti-drone guns at three divisional headquarters, with 70 quadcopters also set to be handed over to districts and the Counter Terrorism Department for surveillance and other operations.The cities of Peshawar, Bannu, and Bajaur have received anti-drone guns capable of neutralising quadcopters launched by terrorists. Additional guns and a comprehensive anti-drone system will be provided to various districts in the coming days. “We are also preparing to provide around 70 drones to the force across all districts, as well as to the Counter Terrorism Department. These drones will be used for surveillance, clearance, and other operations,” Inspector General of Police (IGP) Zulfiqar Hameed told The News. He stated that drone attacks in Bannu and Bajaur have nearly ceased since the police were issued these countermeasures.

Drones have already been supplied to seven districts—Peshawar, Hangu, Tank, Lakki Marwat, Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan, and Bajaur—for surveillance, intelligence gathering, search and rescue, and operational coordination. The anti-drone system will also be deployed for the security of high-profile locations, events, and individuals. The technology can detect and disable quadcopters from a long distance and can even take control of them to force a landing at a designated site. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police recently proposed purchasing a complete anti-drone system, similar to that used in Punjab, to counter any potential attacks via unmanned aerial vehicles.

Several recent terrorism incidents in Bannu and Bajaur districts have involved drones. In Bannu, Miryan Police Station and a few other sites were attacked multiple times by a small quadcopter, resulting in damage and casualties. Until a few months ago, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and police lacked any anti-drone system to detect or counter these unmanned aerial vehicles.

An official reported that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police raised the issue several months ago, requesting the government purchase an anti-drone system and guns to prevent the misuse of the technology by terrorists. The government was informed that Punjab had already acquired such a system for its regions, despite the threat level there being lower than in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. In addition to the anti-drone system, police in the province, particularly in the southern districts, have been provided with more sophisticated equipment to counter terrorist attacks and aggressively target their networks.

An official stated that more bulletproof vehicles, thermal imaging cameras, and scopes have been supplied to forces in the troubled districts.

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police is in the process of adding bulletproofing to 105 vehicles to meet operational demands in high-risk areas and enhance officer safety.

According to an official, 75 bulletproof vehicles have already been issued to the force, with more jeeps and single and double-cabin pickup trucks currently being armoured.

Furthermore, sniper rifles have been allocated to five districts—Peshawar, Kohat, Bannu, Lakki Marwat, and Dera Ismail Khan—for sensitive operations and high-risk missions.