Pakistan police use nets against militant drones

Pakistan police are installing reinforced nets over buildings in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province to protect against militant drone attacks, borrowing a low-cost tactic seen on the Ukrainian battlefield.

The nets are stretched several metres above police compounds, between building fronts and roadside concrete walls. Police say they can entangle drones or catch munitions such as mortars or grenades before they hit the compounds.

Khyber District police officer Waqar Ahmad said drones are easy to buy and modify with equipment for dropping shells. “We have started installing these... nets to protect our personnel from aerial attacks and to reduce the risk of attacks involving drones,” he told AFP.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which borders Afghanistan, is facing a growing insurgency by the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan. Dozens of police have been killed in attacks on checkpoints this year, and police say the TTP has used drones extensively since 2024 for strikes and surveillance.

A senior officer in Peshawar said about 30 percent of police stations still lack their own drones. Police are also holding training courses and acquiring counter-drone equipment, including handheld jammers. Last month, the provincial police UAV division held its first drone course, with 52 participants.

A TTP commander who did not give his name told AFP that the group has turned to drones as an alternative to suicide bombers, saying a quadcopter can penetrate inside military and police compounds. He claimed the group has “thousands” of drones.

Muhammad Aamir, a policeman posted at a checkpoint in the province, said the nets and boundary walls had reduced risks from drones and hand grenades. But local corn seller Gul Haleem said authorities needed to do more to protect residents from the Taliban threat.