The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) police have connected surveillance drones and anti-drone equipment from across the province into Peshawar's central Safe City Command and Control Centre, according to Dawn.
What happened
During a press conference at the facility, KP Safe Cities Project Director Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Ijaz Ahmad announced that live surveillance feeds from provincial field operations can now be transmitted directly to the central hub. This integrated network allows senior officers to watch real-time video captured by police drones during counterterrorism operations, including offensives led by the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD). The centralized system is designed to quickly identify and neutralize hostile quadcopters and drones operating in the region.
Key facts
- Anti-drone equipment has been deployed across the Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan, Lakki Marwat, Peshawar, and Tank districts, alongside anti-drone guns issued to officers in remote, sensitive regions.
- To resolve internet connectivity limitations in certain locations, the police department is collaborating with the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco). Funding amounts for the initiative were not specified in the source; please check the official notice.
- The KP police have formed a specialized human resource division focused on unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) combat, marking the first unit of its kind established by a police department in the country.
- Officers in the UAV division are trained in drone operations, aerial reconnaissance, intelligence gathering, protecting vital installations, and conducting electronic warfare against hostile aircraft.
Why it matters
According to Dawn, the adoption of centralized monitoring and drone technology aims to modernize local policing and improve responses to emerging militant threats. The specialized UAV division was created as militant tactics evolved beyond traditional ground battles toward aerial warfare, including drone surveillance, ammunition drops, and swarm attacks. The Safe Cities project is providing technical assistance to aid the police force in this modernization process.
Source: Dawn - Home · Published October 31, 2026 · Photo by Walid Hamadeh on Unsplash
