RAWALPINDI: The Punjab government has imposed a ban on remote controlled model aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles (drones), flying cameras, helicams and all types of aerial media coverage and spots activities for two months due to security reasons.

According to sources, the Punjab home department has imposed the ban under section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure within the limit of Punjab.

The ban was imposed in the light of intelligence that terror groups might use aerial vehicles, remote controlled aircrafts, unmanned aircrafts, flying cameras and quad copters and balloons for terrorist activities. The ban shall remain in force in the province till Jan 31, 2019.

In a directive to the divisional police chiefs and divisional commissioners, the home department said the ban on aerial drones should be implemented in letter and spirit and whoever was found violating the ban should be booked under section 188 of the CrPc.

On the other hand, the police have beefed up security in the city in the light of security situation and surge in the street crime as criminals have been striking in the city without any check by the police.

Published in Dawn, December 11th, 2018