The growing use of drones by militant groups in Pakistan, particularly in the volatile northwestern region, represents a broader trend of escalating threats to both security forces and civilians. The use of drones by militant groups has been observed in Waziristan district, Srah Bangla in Bannu district, and other areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, targeting military convoys, camps, and police stations, such as the Miryan Police Station. These attacks highlight the unsettling human cost of this emerging technology in the hands of non-state actors.
In July 2025 alone, around 28 drone attacks were reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, targeting police and security forces. However, these attacks have also claimed civilian lives and caused injuries among residents in the affected areas. For instance, a drone strike in Hurmuz village, located in the northwestern Mir Ali Tehsil, resulted in the deaths of four children and injuries to five others. Additionally, at least 22 people were wounded in a quadcopter attack near a volleyball ground in Pakistan’s South Waziristan district.
The increasing use of drones by militant groups emphasises the need for a comprehensive strategy that combines technology, regulations, and intelligence to counter this technology. Protecting cities, security installations, and critical infrastructure from drone attacks is essential in this changing security landscape and the robust implementation of these counter-militancy efforts is the only viable path forward for Pakistan
However, the question arises regarding the transformation in the combat strategy of militants towards drones. Firstly, militants in Pakistan may have been influenced by other non-state actors around the world. This technology has been deployed by various terrorist organisations, including Daesh, the Somalia-based militant group Al-Shabaab, the Nigerian militant group Boko Haram, and other terrorist groups in the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America. Secondly, the Ukrainian battlefield has provided a testing ground for drones, which militants are also keenly observing. Thus, the widespread use of drone technologies on the battlefield is serving as a blueprint that extremist and terrorist groups are increasingly seeking to emulate.
The significant rationale behind their interest in drones lies in their easy purchase, low cost, high accuracy, and operational flexibility. Drones are available for as little as $500, making them accessible to a wide range of individuals and organisations. Further, they can also be modified with explosives or with cameras for surveillance. Documented incidents indicate that militants have deployed quadcopters to drop improvised explosive devices (IEDs) or mortar shells on targets in the northwest of Pakistan. These drones are packed with ball bearings or pieces of iron to increase their destructive impact. These characteristics have made drones an enticing alternative for non-state actors to enhance their capabilities in fighting against state apparatus.
Delving deeper, this escalation in drone attacks is also raising concerns for other parts of the country. If terrorists continue to improve their use of drones, enhancing the payload, flight time, and accuracy, they could eventually turn towards urban centres. Groups like the TTP (Fitna Al-Khawarij) are seeking to expand their insurgency, particularly in the urban centres of Punjab and Sindh. In such an environment, drones may be difficult to counter due to limited line of sight, signal interference, and obvious safety concerns, giving militants an operational advantage.
The question which arises here is what can Pakistan do in this regard? While analysing the countermeasures, statements by police officers show that security forces initially lacked the equipment to counter drones, as they had to rely on assault rifles to shoot them down. However, the KPK police have recently acquired the capability to target and neutralise terrorists’ drones. This technology is reportedly being used to safeguard significant government events, high-profile individuals, and critical buildings. This marks a vital enhancement in counter-militancy efforts.
Since militant groups often procure drones from commercial markets, online stores or third parties, implementing stricter regulations and monitoring online platforms can help track and halt these purchases. The US military, for example, has disrupted insurgent drone production by targeting the availability of key components in the open market.
However, to address the problem at its roots, it is essential to disrupt the sources which facilitate the acquisition of drones by militants. To this effect, security forces must infiltrate these terror networks and identify the chain of operations that enables the supply of such sophisticated technologies to these outfits. The flow of these systems to non-state actors needs to stop and intelligence gathering can play a significant role in this regard.
Among all the measures, the most critical is that counter-terrorism forces need to deploy anti-drone systems, integrating both hard-kill and soft-kill solutions. Since they’ve proven their efficacy in Zarb e Karrar recently, they should be instrumental in successfully countering the drone threat posed by terrorists.
The increasing use of drones by militant groups emphasises the need for a comprehensive strategy that combines technology, regulations, and intelligence to counter this technology. Protecting cities, security installations, and critical infrastructure from drone attacks is essential in this changing security landscape and the robust implementation of these counter-militancy efforts is the only viable path forward for Pakistan.
