Overview
- ARDC chairman Engineer Shaukat Ullah reiterated that intelligence-based operations against militants in 12 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa districts are continuing and that security units have ordered fighters to leave populated areas.
- The council offered talks only for militants who surrender, lay down their weapons, and agree to rejoin mainstream society, and it warned of zero tolerance and sustained action against those who refuse.
- Officials say military and police operations are complicated because militants live among civilians and sometimes shelter in madrassas and mosques, which raises risks for noncombatants during raids.
- The ARDC publicly accused India of channeling funds to militants through Afghanistan, presenting the threat as partly driven by external support and shaping the council’s hardline messaging.
- Alongside security steps, the council prioritized development projects such as new schools and hospitals to stabilize affected districts, a move meant to reduce local support for armed groups and improve daily life for residents.