Pakistan's capital, Islamabad, was placed on high alert after an unidentified drone was spotted in the city’s airspace on Friday.
Security agencies assessed the threat prompting the Pakistan Airports Authority to ground flights for “operational reasons” to ensure public safety.
The incident occurred amid the US-Israel-Iran war, following massive strikes on February 28 that resulted in the assassination of Ayatollah Khamenei. Since then, the region has been engulfed in a “relentless assault” of drones and missiles.
Reports suggest that the US Central Command struck 6,000 targets inside Iran.
Security experts believe the drone sighting in Islamabad is linked to this broader instability. The issue was also highlighted at the UN, where Pakistani Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad warned that:
“The consequences of the conflict we are witnessing right now are clear – everyone is impacted,” as he urged stakeholders for an “immediate and complete cessation of hostilities.”
While Islamabad’s airspace has since reopened, the Red Zone area remains sealed.
Officials urged citizens to avoid spreading rumours, noting that “security agencies are investigating the origin” of the drone to mitigate any security threat or further escalation.
