Pakistani forces intercept Afghan Taliban drones, vow firm response to cross-border terrorism

Pakistan’s armed forces intercepted few rudimentary drones allegedly launched by the Afghan Taliban on March 13 in what officials described as a failed attempt to harass civilian populations, according to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations.

The military’s media wing said the drones were detected and neutralised through a combination of defensive measures before they could reach their intended targets. However, falling debris from the intercepted drones caused injuries to civilians in multiple cities.

According to the statement, two children were injured in Quetta, while one civilian each sustained injuries in Kohat and Rawalpindi. All injured individuals received medical attention and were reported to be in stable condition.

The ISPR condemned the incident, describing the attempted drone harassment as a tactic aimed at spreading fear among the Pakistani public. It said the attack reflected what it termed the “terrorist mindset” of the Afghan Taliban, accusing them of attempting to portray themselves internationally as victims while simultaneously targeting civilians through militant proxies and drone activity.

Pakistan’s security establishment reiterated that both the public and the armed forces are fully aware of what it called the “true nature and intentions” of the militant administration governing Afghanistan.

The statement further stated that Operation Ghazab-Lil-Haq would continue until the Afghan Taliban address Islamabad’s core concerns regarding militant groups operating from Afghan territory and carrying out attacks inside Pakistan.

Reaffirming its commitment to national security, the armed forces said they would continue defending the country against terrorism and stand steadfast in the fight against terrorism and its manifestations, like the drone attacks by Afghan Taliban. “We shall keep defending the people of Pakistan against terrorists and their facilitators and shall not flinch in the face of such provocations by the Afghan Taliban,” the statement added.

Earlier, the information ministry said on Friday that security forces had “successfully intercepted” two rudimentary drones of the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan terrorist group using electronic countermeasures, adding that no damage to infrastructure was caused.

Security sources said drones were detected at two locations adjacent to Rawalpindi and were neutralised before causing any damage. Officials confirmed that there were no casualties or property damage in the Rawalpindi incident. Airspace restrictions imposed as a precaution were later lifted, restoring normal flight operations.

The Afghan Taliban regime’s Urdu X account had claimed targeting a military centre in the federal capital via drones. However, in a post on X, the information ministry rubbished the allegation, saying: “Two rudimentary drones of terrorist FAK, nurtured by Afghan Taliban regime, were successfully intercepted by the Pakistan security forces using electronic counter measures. No military or other infrastructure was hit, other than minor damage due to debris of the forced crashing of drones.

“The Taliban regime claim includes no verifiable evidence as always, however fully exposes its established role as master proxy of terrorism harbouring and supporting multiple terrorist organisations such as Indian proxies.”

Referring to the Urdu account, it said the account and other “Taliban regime official accounts” were “known to regularly proliferate fake news and propaganda”.

Speculation about the disruptions at Islamabad International Airport had circulated after the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) briefly stated on X, in a post later deleted, that flight operations had experienced a “brief operational adjustment”.

Several media outlets subsequently reported that the airport had been closed for flights. However, the PAA later clarified that such reports were “baseless”.

“Flight operations at Islamabad International Airport are continuing without interruption and all flights are operating according to schedule,” the authority said, urging the public to rely on official sources and avoid spreading unverified information.

Two injured in Kohat

Meanwhile, in Kohat, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s Special Assistant to the Chief Minister on Information Shafi Jan condemned suspected drone flights in the area, saying police acted swiftly to neutralise the threat.

According to a statement issued by the provincial government’s information office, a specialised police team used an anti-drone system to jam the signals of a suspicious drone.

The disruption caused the drone’s motor to shut down, forcing it to crash to the ground.

Authorities said two individuals were injured when debris from the downed drone fell nearby. The injured were immediately provided medical treatment.

Jan said the incident demonstrated the effective use of modern technology by law enforcement, adding that any attempt to destabilise peace in Kohat or elsewhere in the province would be thwarted.

The provincial government has recently approved a Rs31 billion package aimed at strengthening the operational capacity of the police, Jan said. So far, more than Rs7b has been spent on the procurement of modern weapons, anti-drone jamming systems and other advanced technologies.

He reaffirmed that the government remained fully committed to maintaining peace and security across the province.

The provincial information adviser also condemned the recent bombing near a police vehicle in Lakki Marwat, saying Chief Minister Sohail Afridi had sought a report from the inspector general of police regarding the incident.

“We share the grief of the families of the martyrs and they will not be left alone,” he said.