Pakistan confirms shooting down Iranian drone

Says the drone was flying 3-4km inside Pakistani territory

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan confirmed on Wednesday that it shot down an Iranian drone in Punjgur after it was found flying inside its territory.

The confirmation came from the foreign office a day after media reports suggested that Pakistan Air Force (PAF) shot down Iranian drone deep inside Pakistan airspace.

“The drone was hit by Pakistan Air Force as it was unidentified and was flying at around 3-4km inside Pakistani territory,” read a statement issued by the foreign office.

Foreign Office Spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said Pakistan had already shared the information about striking down of this drone with the Iranian authorities indicating that the drone was struck down by “our security forces as it was unmarked and there was no prior information about its flight.”



The statement was calculated as officials cautioned that the incident could have huge implications since it was for the first time a drone from Iran was shot down by Pakistan.

Pakistan and Iran have uneasy ties in recent months due to some border incidents.

At least 11 Iranian guards were killed and two others injured in an ambush near the town of Mirjaveh in the southeastern Iranian province of Sistan and Baluchistan in late April.



The Jaish ul-adl terrorist group claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement. Iran claimed that the assailants escaped into Pakistani territory immediately after the attack.

Reacting to the incident, President Hassan Rowhani issued a strong public statement urging Pakistan not to allow its territory to be used by such groups against Iran.

Pakistan strongly condemned the attack but made it clear that the incident happened on the Iranian side of the border.

The relationship between the two neighbours has also been complicated by the current turmoil in the Middle East.

Iran is increasingly upset over Pakistan’s decision to join the Saudi-led military alliance against terrorism.