HANGU, Pakistan – In response to a surge in unmanned aerial attacks by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), security forces in northwest Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province have adopted an unconventional defense: overhead fishing nets.
On April 16, inspectors at the Sarki Piyala police checkpost in Hangu district faced a coordinated assault where drones carrying explosives were dropped on officers before fighters opened fire from multiple sides. The seven-hour confrontation resulted in the death of an armored vehicle driver and injuries to a constable.
“There was a great deal of fear because we were in the middle of a battle. At that moment, we did not even know whether we would make it back home alive,” recalled Fayyaz Khan, a 40-year-old police inspector present during the attack.
Two months after the incident, local police installed black mesh netting strung several meters above the checkpost’s rooftops and perimeter walls. According to authorities, the low-cost barrier has successfully prevented any further drone attacks at the site.
Tariq Habib, a district police officer, explained that the nets are designed to intercept drones or disperse shrapnel if an explosive detonates overhead. “Even if a drone does not get caught and explodes above the net, the damage is expected to be much less because most of the shrapnel and fragments would be dispersed in the air rather than falling directly onto the ground,” he said.
Covering a standard checkpoint costs approximately 400,000 Pakistani rupees ($1,435). The initiative has expanded beyond Hangu, with nets now deployed in at least five other vulnerable districts—Kohat, Karak, Bannu, Lakki Marwat, and Dera Ismail Khan—as well as at some military outposts.
The tactical shift comes amid escalating violence linked to armed groups seeking to establish a Taliban-style government in Pakistan. In Hangu alone, police recorded at least 16 attacks this year, including a July 29 assault that killed 11 officers and wounded 28 others.
Local residents have noted a decline in ambushes since the nets were installed. Mohammad Usama, a social activist in Baliamena, stated that the measures have helped reduce fear among families who previously pulled children out of school due to safety concerns.
However, security experts remain skeptical. Imtiaz Gul of the Centre for Research and Security Studies described the strategy as a “cheap ploy” that may create a false sense of security, arguing that drones are often aimed at high-visibility strategic targets rather than static police stations.
Fida Adeel, a counterterrorism analyst, noted that while similar camouflage nets have been used in Ukraine, their effectiveness depends heavily on design and deployment. He questioned the police claim that the nets could reduce casualties by 40 to 50 percent without rigorous testing.
Despite these reservations, police conducted a trial in Kohat where an explosive dropped on a net failed to detonate. Inspector Khan acknowledged the nets are not a foolproof solution but said they provide necessary reassurance for officers on the front lines.
Skeptical about the 50% casualty reduction claim without independent testing. Desperation shouldn’t replace rigorous analysis.
Cost is a huge factor here. Four hundred thousand rupees is a bargain compared to lost lives and equipment damage.
The shrapnel dispersion logic makes sense, but what if they switch to suicide drones that pierce the mesh first?
Fishing nets as drone shields? Talk about improvisation under pressure. I’d feel safer than nothing, though.