Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police create unit to counter drones
Police in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province have created a specialized unit for drone operations and countering hostile drones. Its personnel have received training in UAV operation, aerial surveillance, intelligence gathering, counterterrorism measures, protection of sensitive facilities, and the use of technology during operations in high-risk areas, Dawn reports.
According to the publication, this unit is the first of its kind established by a police department in Pakistan.
Countering attacks from the air
Police are responding to a change in militants’ tactics, as they use quadcopters for reconnaissance ahead of attacks on law enforcement facilities, as well as to drop ammunition. An unnamed senior official told Dawn that such devices allow attackers to avoid security forces’ ambushes.
Initially, police used handheld anti-drone devices capable of neutralizing only one drone at a time. Officials said that after militants began launching several drones simultaneously, the department acquired systems capable of detecting and jamming several quadcopters. Police claim that after these systems were deployed in various districts of the province, the number of attacks involving quadcopters decreased significantly.
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Data center in Peshawar
Personnel of the new unit are expected not only to use drones for surveillance but also to conduct electronic warfare against hostile UAVs. Officials said that a data center in Peshawar is to receive real-time information about quadcopters and coordinate the law enforcement response.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police chief Zulfiqar Hameed said that the unit will be based in the provincial capital, while similar groups have been approved for districts with the highest level of risk. According to him, police and the Counter Terrorism Department will receive more advanced long-range drones capable of flying at greater altitudes than existing models.
Unnamed security officials also reported a reduced threat level in the southern districts of the province, including Dera Ismail Khan, Lakki Marwat, Tank, and Bannu. They also claim that militants receive external personnel, financial, and technical support.
