Pakistan Forces Down Two Drones Near Rawalpindi Using Electronic Countermeasures

Pakistani security forces carried out a Rawalpindi drone interception on Friday after detecting two rudimentary drones near the city. Security sources confirmed that forces neutralised both drones using electronic countermeasures. The incident caused no casualties or major damage.
Authorities briefly closed nearby airspace as a precaution. However, officials reopened it soon after the situation came under control. Security teams also recovered debris from the crashed drones for investigation. Officials say the quick response prevented any potential threat to civilians or infrastructure.

Drones Linked to Militant Group

The Ministry of Information later addressed the incident on social media. Officials claimed the drones belonged to the militant group Fitna al-Khawarij. Authorities say the group has links to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan. According to the ministry, the drones did not damage any military or civilian installations. Only small debris scattered after the drones crashed following electronic disruption.
Officials also rejected claims circulating online. The Afghan Defence Ministry had alleged that the Faizabad military centre was hit. However, Pakistan dismissed the statement and said no evidence supports the claim.
The ministry further accused the Afghan Taliban regime of supporting militant groups. Officials also stated that several Taliban-linked accounts regularly spread misinformation about Pakistan’s security forces.

Airport Operations and Kohat Incident

Earlier, the Pakistan Airports Authority reported a brief operational adjustment at Islamabad International Airport. Some media outlets speculated that authorities had closed the airspace. However, the authorities quickly clarified the situation. Officials confirmed that Islamabad’s airspace remained open. In addition, flights continued to operate normally and according to schedule.
In a separate incident, suspected drone activity appeared in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Kohat. Police used an anti-drone jamming system to disable the drone. As a result, the drone’s motor stopped and the device crashed safely.Debris from the crash caused minor injuries to two civilians nearby. Medical teams treated both individuals immediately.
Meanwhile, the provincial government approved a Rs31 billion security package to strengthen police operations. Officials say the plan includes modern weapons, anti-drone systems, and advanced technology to improve security across the region.