It was reported that China has offered to help by selling drones it has developed to the country. But industry experts said there is still uncertainty about the capabilities of the Chinese aircraft.
Federal Minister for Defence Syed Naveed Qamar had said that Pakistan’s own drone technology is at its initial stage and has been used only for air surveillance.
In a chat with media during his visit to International Defence Exhibition and Seminar IDEAS-2012 Pakistan in Karachi, the defence minister had said that these drones do not have the capacity to carry arms, yet.
Pakistan has demanded the US to provide it with armed drones, claiming it could more effectively carry out attacks against militants. Washington has refused because of the sensitive nature of the technology and doubts that Pakistan would reliably target US enemies.
Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf had indicated, during the Ideas 2012, that Islamabad would look for help from Beijing in response to US intransigence, the AP report said.
“Pakistan can also benefit from China in defense collaboration, offsetting the undeclared technological apartheid,” said Ashraf.
Whereas, Pakistan has also been working to develop armed drones on its own, said military officials and civilians involved in the domestic drone industry, all of whom spoke on condition of anonymity because of the classified nature of the work.
COMMENTS (39)
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Get the electricity first, drone and nuke makers!!
remote controlled drone
@AnisAqeel: I think it might be wise to arm the pakistani people with good enough arms first in case drones turn against their 'masters'. Either by hijackers or AI that go on 'control the organics-mode' But it is a choice. Drones can be effective weapons without risking lifes.
Why wasting our money to collect chunk of arms...
People need education, food, electricity, health care... why not working on these....
When it comes to tap natural resources for people benifits.. eveil politics involves and paralyse every step...
All security related issues can be solved thru better planning and firm foreign policies.... What atom bomb will do when we loose every battle on table.......????????
china not yet developed armed drones, its a complex technology.
hahaha no comments :P
Would the army or Pakistani government like to explain honestly,sincerely and truly but fully that who shall be the main targets of these indigenous armed drones????? Because in Afghanistan these armed drones shall never be allowed to attack just due to the presence of US' and NATO's officials and troops......
These technologies should also be transferred to civilians.
Good move any ways.
India Beware.
please sell of PIA and then make drones ..another few million dollars down he drain..
Pakistan has demanded the US to provide it with armed drones, claiming it could more effectively carry out attacks against militants.
Pakistanis cry drones are killing innocent people, but at the same time BEG USA to give them drones to carry out attacks against militants.
@stenson: Are you serious?
India and Pakistan both have Initial Level Surveillance un-manned aircraft technology since a decade, it was widely used by both sides during the Indian Military Build-up on Pakistani Border after the Indian Parliament Attacks during Musharraf era... Both Sides used to shoot down these aircrafts on numerous occasions...!
will the Chinese drones be operated by Chinese?
Looks like Pakistan is trying to develop it's services industry.
In the near future Pakistan will be famous for it's Strike Centres.Ordering drone strikes on your enemies,ex lover,ex spouse.......all from the comfort of your home,over the phone while talking to a dude in Islamabad with a fake american accent :D
"Expect More.Pay Less.Order a Drone Strike"
PIA is almost out of service and so is our railway engines. I hope drones will be cheaper to transport passengers from here to eternity. Why don't we drone out corruption and nepotism from our system of governance?.
We should focus on more schools today, as the threat is more from within then from outside!
Pakistan Zindabad
"They cant provide security and now they want to make drones. They just want to copy others." Umair Waheed why should they provide full security when its the job of the police? By the way when your own people stab you in the back, you cannot succeed.
Unless the drones carry VERY EXPENSIVE precision guided munitions, the collateral damage from just using dumb bombs will be extreme. And without satellite links for control, the effectiveness of any armed drone program will be very limited to line of sight operation.
Eventually somebody will develop fully capable drones just like the American ones and use them too, as the Americans are doing now. It is only then the Americans will realize what a horrendous thing they have done, and then of course they will cry foul and have international laws passed to stop others from using and disseminating the technology.
Cant develop a locomotive but can develop a drone?
@Alishba: Pakistan has developed a lot of technology when they are pushed to the wall - look at the fighter plane JF 17 and the Al Khalid tank. It is important for Pakistan to keep developing their own technologies unlike other countries which just copy things.
I congratulate Pakistan defense authority. May Allah shower his blessing upon our country. Proud to b a Pakistani.
O,Thats Really Good,Pakistan na Kuch to Develop kia.
how about developing a decent government first?
Oh please - the USA refuses to give you high tech drones because they don't trust you and you associate that with "apartheid"? I suggest you buy China drones - you don't have to stand in line because nobody else is buying them - all you need is cash.
Ambition without knowledge is like a boat on dry land
Not much development if we are buying them ..
Pakistan,
Beware of Made in China Drones. Isme bhi Made in China ??? Come on yar. Havent you had enough of using their cheap products already. Remember " Made in China is also works in China " Take care
Hey, What about the work on Burraq, It seemed a nice project.. and please no Chinese on this one. Let there be something we can call a fully 'Pakistan made'. Make it in a 'not so good' quality and then improve it. Don't look for Chinese technology transfer shortcuts. I beg Pakistan Aeronautical Complex to make this first local armed drone technology on its own..
Developing drones for what? To kill our own! Why not to get rid of support in favor of terrorism, that can be the cheapest way but at the cost of our military's ego.
Armed drone technology is not easy to develop. A very active space program is necessary to develop armed drones. Pakistan has neither technological base or a space program. I don't even think its worth the try given the small budget Pakistan allocates for military.
Pakistan is certainly not racing to develop diesel engines for its railways. It is really not useful and certainly not advanced enough.
For Pakistan, a foreign and domestic policy based on peaceful intention and economic prosperity will fetch better returns than any armed drones. Remember...both USA and China have FIRST focused on economic prosperity BEFORE armaments. And we all know what happened to countries like USSR that tried the reverse path....same thing will happen to Pakistan...it will implode, with neighboring countries picking up the pieces...
It's no secret Pakistan is working on armed drones
BRAVO. We can do it. Yes we can !!!!!!!!!