For the first time in their history, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police used drone-jamming technology as part of security measures during Sunday’s Ashura processions in Peshawar.

Yaum-i-Ashura processions in major cities across the country concluded peacefully on Sunday evening amid tightened security. A total of 4,836 processions and 5,480 majalis were carried out, with 12 processions taking place in Peshawar.

Thousands of police personnel — including constables and police snipers — were deployed across major cities alongside emergency rescue personnel for the safety and security of mourners carrying out processions.

Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Qasim Khan told Dawn.com that drone-jamming technology was used for the first time by Peshawar police.

“A drone-jamming gun was used for the first time during the Ashura procession,” he said.

“With the help of Peshawar Anti-Drone System, drone cameras helped in jamming.”

He noted that drones had been used by terrorists in the southern districts of KP. “Now KP police can jam suspicious drones,” Khan said.

“New technology can disable suspicious drones at a distance of up to three kilometres.”

Naqvi praises LEAs for peaceful Muharram processions

Separately, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi praised law enforcement authorities for their coordinated security efforts to ensure a peaceful and secure environment during Ashura processions across the country.

“All processions and gatherings in Islamabad, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Sindh, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir concluded peacefully,” he said today in a post on X.

He paid tribute to the army, Rangers and police for their “hard work” during the Ashura processions and thanked “every soldier, officer, and official assigned to the security of Ashura”.

The interior minister noted that the security forces performed their duties with “dedication and harmony” and provided foolproof security to the mourners’ processions and gatherings.

“From Muharram 1 to Ashura, an effective and coordinated security plan was successfully implemented,” Naqvi said. “All forces and field formations demonstrated exemplary discipline and unity day and night.”