The Pakistani government has banned the use of drone and UAV (unmanned aerial vehicles) cameras in the capital city of Islamabad for two months. The step comes against the backdrop of the anti-government Azadi March, in which over 100,000 people are expected to reach Islamabad.
A notification issued by the office of district magistrate says, “It has been informed that certain segments of the public operate UAVs in Islamabad which pose a unique threat to the precarious security situation of the Islamabad Capital Territory".
“These UAVs can be used by miscreants to conduct terrorist acts in areas that have been secured and safeguarded against ground attacks", it added.
Any possible terrorist attack would jeopardise the security of residents of the capital and sensitive installations, undermining law and order and threatening public peace at large, the notification stated, adding that the district magistrate has prohibited flying and operating UAVs in Islamabad by anyone except for law enforcement agencies and the capital administration for two months.
The march, being organised by Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F), is expected to be one of the biggest public gatherings in Islamabad since the 2014 Imran Khan rally.
The organising party claims that other political parties, including that of Nawaz Sharif's PML-N, have extended support for the rally against government policies. The organiser said that the federal government's policies have been pushing the country into profound disorder.