Anti-drone units to be established in all districts of Punjab, says home department

Punjab will establish “anti-drone units” in all districts of Punjab, said a statement from the provincial home department on Friday.

The launch of an anti-drone unit was approved by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz last week. Emphasising a proactive approach, she said that instead of only reacting to terrorist incidents, authorities must adopt a policy of taking preemptive measures.

According to the statement, the unit will conduct aerial surveillance of the district with the help of special drone fleets.

An “anti-drone system” will also be provided in each district under the leadership of their district police officer (DPOs).

Surveillance drones and anti-drone systems will be provided as per the needs of each district.

“The anti-drone system will disable the drones of the enemy and miscreants with the help of jammers,” the statement added.

The statement, quoting the home department spokesperson, stated that the decision was taken to meet modern-day counter-terrorism requirements and maintain an atmosphere of law and order.

Additionally, according to the home department, the capacity of the police is being increased for aerial surveillance and public safety.

Section 144 is already in force across Punjab.

After Afghan Taliban forces used “rudimentary drones” to target various parts of the country, a ban has been imposed on flying unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) of any kind across the country.

Punjab had already banned the flying of drones and UAVs in its jurisdiction for 30 days, starting on Feb 25.

However, the notification said that the ban did not apply to “use of small drones for coverage of indoor activities, such as in halls or marquees”. It also did not apply to drones used by intelligence and law enforcement agencies.