Multiple drones reportedly entered Islamabad from Afghanistan on Friday and were intercepted and destroyed, triggering immediate security concerns in the federal capital and confusion over flight operations near Islamabad International Airport. Security sources have confirmed that on Friday, two rudimentary drones were intercepted at separate locations near Rawalpindi and successfully brought down using electronic countermeasures.
According to official sources, no damage or casualties were reported. The airspace, which had been temporarily closed as a precaution, is now reopened.
Separately, the Ministry of Information posted on X that “two rudimentary drones of terrorist Fitna-al-Khawarij, nurtured by the Afghan Taliban regime, were successfully intercepted by the Pakistan security forces using electronic countermeasures”.
It added that “no military or other infrastructure was hit, other than minor damage due to debris of the forced crashing of drones”, dismissing claims made in a post by the Afghan defence ministry on X.
Previously, as reported, various sources claimed that drones approaching Islamabad were successfully neutralized. Images of destroyed drones and videos of a crash in the Margalla Hills circulated widely on social media. However, officials have not yet issued a detailed public briefing confirming the origin or technical specifications of the drones.
Video of a Suspected Afghan Crashed Drone
At the same time, the Islamabad Airport Authority denied suspending flight operations due to the drone activity. Officials said the brief disruption was due to temporary maintenance. They added that normal services have resumed and security teams secured the airspace to ensure public safety.
Islamabad Airspace Reopened After Drone Interception
Pakistan later reopened Islamabad’s airspace after security forces shot down two drones near the federal capital. The move eased short-term flight concerns and helped calm public anxiety.
Mosharraf Zaidi, the prime minister’s spokesperson for foreign media, confirmed that authorities had initially closed the airspace as a precaution. However, officials lifted the restriction once air defense systems neutralized the threat.
Earlier, senior officials said air defense units detected two unmanned aerial vehicles loitering near Faizabad. Security teams tracked the UAVs and shot them down before they could move further. As a result, authorities moved quickly to prevent any potential risk.
Following the interception, officials temporarily restricted flight activity over Islamabad while they assessed the situation. Meanwhile, law enforcement increased monitoring around sensitive locations in the city. Later, authorities confirmed that the situation was under control and flights resumed normal operations.
KPK Drone Attack
On Friday, security forces in the Kohat district of northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa reportedly intercepted and destroyed multiple drones that entered the area. According to initial reports, Pakistan shot down all the drones during the attack, and no damage to life was reported.
Officials have not shared further operational details about the incident. There are no further clarifications from official sources yet regarding either the Islamabad or Kohat events. However, security agencies remain on alert as investigations continue.
