PESHAWAR – Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police brought aerial and ground surveillance under one command by connecting their drone unit and anti-drone system to the Safe City project’s central control room, strengthening efforts to detect suspicious activity and respond to emerging security threats.
Police officials termed integration as Pakistan’s first initiative to combine drone surveillance and anti-drone technology within a Safe City monitoring network. The arrangement allows the central control room to receive an immediate alert when a suspicious drone enters the system’s detection range, helping police assess potential threats and coordinate a response.
The anti-drone system installed in Peshawar can monitor airspace within an approximately 5-kilometre radius. Its integration with the wider surveillance network is intended to support round-the-clock monitoring of sensitive locations, traffic, criminal activity and suspicious movements. The aerial surveillance network is also being extended to Dera Ismail Khan, Bannu and Lakki Marwat under the Safe City initiative.
The development comes as police confront threats from militant-operated quadcopters, particularly in southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Such devices have been used for reconnaissance and to drop explosive material, while reported attacks involving several drones have added to the security challenge.
Police began deploying handheld anti-drone jammers across several districts in 2025. Larger systems were subsequently installed in Peshawar and Bannu to detect and jam multiple drones, with police reporting a decline in attacks following their deployment. The latest integration builds on establishment of a dedicated unmanned aerial vehicle division in March 2026 under a standing order issued by Inspector General of Police Zulfiqar Hameed.
Personnel assigned to division received training in drone operations, aerial surveillance, intelligence gathering, counterterrorism and electronic warfare.
Peshawar Safe City project incorporates surveillance cameras and technologies including artificial intelligence, facial recognition and automatic number plate readers. Adding aerial monitoring gives operators another source of information as they track incidents and coordinate police deployments. Alongside these measures, police have introduced protective netting at vulnerable checkpoints to help intercept drones and dropped material. Longer-range drones are also being added to expand the force’s surveillance reach.
KP Police Integrates Drone and Anti-Drone Systems with Safe City Control Room
