Punjab to establish anti-drone units in all districts, officials say

The Punjab government has announced plans to set up anti-drone units across all districts in the province, according to a statement issued by the provincial home department on Friday. The initiative, which was approved by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz last week, aims to enhance counter-terrorism efforts by adopting proactive security measures.

Officials said the anti-drone units will be responsible for conducting aerial surveillance using specialized drone fleets. Each district will receive an anti-drone system, which will be operated under the supervision of the respective district police officer (DPO). The home department stated that both surveillance drones and anti-drone systems will be allocated based on the specific needs of each district.

According to the statement, the anti-drone systems will be equipped with jammers designed to disable unauthorized or hostile drones. The spokesperson for the home department emphasized that the decision was made to address modern counter-terrorism requirements and to move beyond a reactive approach to security threats.

This move comes at a time when Section 144 restrictions on drone usage are in place, and follows recent protests after the assassination of Khamenei. However, the home department's statement focused on the need for preemptive security measures and did not elaborate further on the timing of the announcement.

The establishment of these anti-drone units marks what sources describe as a first-of-its-kind initiative in the country. Authorities indicated that the implementation process will involve equipping each district with the necessary technology and resources to monitor and counter potential drone threats.

Further details regarding the timeline for deployment and the specific operational protocols for the anti-drone units were not provided in the official statement.