ISLAMABAD: Islamabad Police have been provided with modern net launchers ahead of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) march planned for September 27, with authorities describing the equipment as a non-lethal option for restraining individuals in difficult situations.
Pakistan’s federal government has supplied the equipment to the capital police and it could be used for the first time in Pakistan if PTI protesters reach Islamabad. A demonstration video shows an officer firing a mesh net designed to entangle a person and restrict movement.
وفاقی وزیرِ داخلہ کی جانب سے اسلام آباد پولیس کو جدید وسائل کی فراہمی کا سلسلہ جاری ہے۔
امن و عامہ کی صورتحال سے نمٹنے اور ملزمان کی گرفتاری کے لیے اسلام آباد پولیس کو جدید NET LAUNCHER فراہم کیا گیا ہے، جو ہنگامی صورتحال میں پولیس کی کارروائیوں میں معاون ہوگا۔… pic.twitter.com/nPo1V1Mb7E
— Islamabad Police (@ICT_Police) September 23, 2026
The reported plan comes as authorities prepare extensive security arrangements for the planned march. Islamabad has also imposed Section 144 ahead of the protest.
How does a net launcher work?
A net launcher, also known as a net gun or net projector, is designed to capture rather than penetrate a target. Instead of firing a conventional bullet, it launches a folded net that spreads out as it travels and entangles the target.
PAKISTAN ARMS POLICE WITH NET GUNS AHEAD OF PTI PROTEST
Pakistan’s Interior Ministry has equipped Islamabad police with net-launching devices ahead of the PTI protest from September 27
Devices fire a restraint net that wraps a target in seconds and pins them for arrest.… pic.twitter.com/7pUPx6xn7x
— Subodh Kumar (@kumarsubodh_) September 24, 2026
Different models use different propulsion systems, including compressed CO₂ or other launch mechanisms. Some systems use weights attached to the corners of the net to pull it open in flight. The objective is to restrict movement and allow trained personnel to approach and secure the target.
The technology is generally considered a less-lethal or non-lethal restraint tool, but that does not mean it is completely risk-free. Its safety depends on the equipment, distance, target, environment and proper training.
A technology with roots in 1969
The history of the modern net gun dates back to 1969, when New Zealander Colin Brown developed a device intended to help police capture fleeing criminals.
The concept did not immediately become a standard law-enforcement tool. During the 1970s and subsequent decades, net launchers found greater practical use in wildlife capture, animal control and research, where they could restrain animals without using conventional weapons.
The technology later evolved, with specialised systems being developed for police and security applications.
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From animals to drones
One of the technology’s more recent applications is counter-drone operations.
Since the early 2020s, net-based systems have attracted interest from security and military organisations because a net can become entangled with a drone’s propellers and bring the aircraft down without using an explosive projectile. This can also leave the captured drone available for examination.
Commercial systems are now marketed for wildlife management, law enforcement and unmanned aerial vehicle interception, illustrating how a technology originally associated with animal capture has expanded into security applications.
Why is Islamabad Police using it?
The net launcher is being added to Islamabad Police’s equipment as a restraint and arrest tool for difficult or emergency situations during the anticipated PTI protest. Police have said it may be used against individuals involved in damaging public property or resisting police action.
The reported deployment therefore represents a notable shift in crowd-control equipment in Pakistan, although its actual use during the September 27 protest will depend on circumstances and police decisions.
Read Also: Pakistan Govt Claims PTI Protesters Included Illegal Afghan Nationals, Miscreants
The development also comes amid broader preparations for the PTI march, with authorities deploying additional security measures.
In essence, the net launcher has evolved from a 1969 attempt to capture criminals into a tool used for wildlife management, law enforcement and counter-drone operations, and Islamabad Police are now preparing to use the technology as a restraint option during a political protest.
