ISLAMABAD / RAWALPINDI — Pakistan has reportedly shot down a total of 77 Indian drones amid escalating hostilities along the border, according to Pakistani state broadcaster PTV and the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). The significant surge in drone interceptions marks a dramatic rise in tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.
Citing security sources, PTV reported that by the evening of May 8, Pakistan’s defense systems had destroyed 29 Indian drones. Overnight, an additional 48 drones were neutralized, bringing the total to 77.
Among these Drones were 30 Israeli-made Heron MK 2 drones, which Pakistani military officials say were launched by India to target both civilian and military sites across several major cities, including Rawalpindi, Gujrat, Attock, Lahore, Sheikhupura, Nankana, Ghotki, and Karachi’s Malir district.
According to the ISPR, the drones, capable of operating at altitudes up to 35,000 feet, were detected and intercepted using a combination of electronic jamming (soft-kill) and weapons-based (hard-kill) countermeasures. Pakistani military spokespersons characterized the downing of these high-altitude drones as a rare and significant achievement in active combat.
Casualties and Damage
Despite Pakistan’s effective interception efforts, several drones crashed into urban and semi-rural areas, causing civilian casualties and property damage. In Rawalpindi, drone debris near Stadium Road injured two men, one of whom later died. Additional wreckage near the Race Course Ground damaged residential buildings. In Attock, similar incidents resulted in casualties, while in Ghotki, Sindh, a drone strike killed Mukhtiar Ahmed and injured another civilian in Sarfaraz Laghari village.
Drone debris was also recovered in agricultural fields in Gujrat, Nankana, and Sheikhupura, where falling wreckage injured several civilians. Local authorities cordoned off the affected areas and issued public warnings against spreading unverified information.
Military Retaliation Along the Line of Control
On the frontlines, Pakistani troops responded forcefully to Indian military provocations along the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir. Pakistani forces reported inflicting significant damage on Indian positions, including the destruction of an Indian battalion headquarters in Nanga Tak, after Indian troops initiated unprovoked firing in the Pando sector.
The ISPR condemned India’s actions, labeling the drone intrusions as part of a broader strategy to distract from India’s military setbacks. These included the loss of several aircraft and military posts earlier in the week, notably five aircraft, among them advanced French-made Rafale jets, which were reportedly downed by Pakistan on May 6–7.
Shifting Military Tactics
Security experts noted India’s increasing reliance on unmanned aerial systems such as the Heron MK 2 and the Harop loitering munition, both manufactured by Israel Aerospace Industries. The Harop drone, in particular, is designed to loiter over battlefields, identify targets, and crash into them like a one-way missile. Analysts interpret India’s use of these drones as a tactical shift aimed at avoiding further manned aircraft losses, but Pakistani officials argue it reflects India’s “panic and strategic disarray.”
Pakistan’s Position and International Response
Despite repeated provocations, Pakistani leaders have called for strategic restraint while reaffirming the country’s readiness to defend its sovereignty. Defence Minister Khawaja Asif warned that further escalation is increasingly likely, stating that Pakistan’s response to India’s actions is “becoming certain.”
International observers are closely monitoring the situation as both nations appear to enter a new phase of conflict dominated by drone warfare. Pakistan has urged India to deescalate tensions and focus on diplomatic avenues, even as its military remains on high alert.
“We will continue to respond with precision and proportionality, maintaining our vigilance against any further threats to national security,” a Pakistani military spokesperson assured.
