ISLAMABAD: The federal government on Friday imposed a ban on all drone operations across the country after tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan escalated following border clashes.
A notification has been issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs regarding the ban on all commercial and private drones across the country.
The directive follows intense border clashes between Pakistan and Afghanistan, triggered by unprovoked attacks carried out by the Afghan Taliban regime on Thursday evening.
Meanwhile, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government also issued a public notice regarding the enforcement of a ban on outdoor flying of drones, including quadcopters and other remotely controlled aerial devices, across the province for 30 days.
In its advisory, the KP Department of Internal and Tribal Affairs said that “recourse has been made to undertake stand-off attacks with the help of quadcopters/unmanned vehicles (UAVs) against various government buildings and installations, particularly in the southern region of the province.”
“Under the current circumstances, any activity (regulated or not), namely drones, including quadcopters and drones, will pose a direct or indirect threat and constitutes a potential risk to the lives and properties of citizens (including public safety and security) as well as to government infrastructure and maintenance of public order,” it added.
It further states that the Ministry of Interior, in view of the current security environment, has requested [the provincial government] to impose “a ban on external flight of quadcopters/UAVs with immediate effect”.
However, the use of small drones to cover indoor activities, such as in lobbies or marquees, as well as the use of drones by intelligence and law enforcement agencies (LEAs) have been exempted.
The KP government also directed the public to avoid unnecessary outdoor gatherings, especially near sensitive or official installations, and directed all government departments, attached offices, public sector entities and field formations to review and strengthen security arrangements.
It is worth mentioning here that a similar ban was imposed in Punjab two days ago, citing risks to public safety and security.
Pakistan carried out Operation Ghazab lil-Haq in response to unprovoked attacks by the Afghan Taliban regime in the border areas, leaving at least 274 Taliban regime members and terrorists dead so far.
Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations, Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, speaking to the press today, said that security forces have effectively repulsed the attacks of the Taliban regime on 15 sectors along the Pakistan-Afghan border at 53 different locations.
He added that more than 74 posts of the Taliban regime were destroyed and 18 checkpoints were brought under Pakistan’s custody.
The ISPR Director General said that Pakistani forces destroyed 115 enemy tanks and armored vehicles, while also targeting 22 hideouts of Fitna al-Hindustan and Fitna al-Khawarij during the action.
He confirmed that 12 security forces personnel accepted martyrdom while 27 were injured in Pakistan’s retaliation.
