The government on Thursday constituted a 16-member committee to hold talks with relevant stakeholders with a view to controlling the deteriorating law and order situation in Miranshah and Mir Ali — areas of North Waziristan tribal district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa — in the wake of continuing protests by locals.

Protests are continuing in parts of North Waziristan District for more than 25 days by local people against lawlessness and targeted killings in different areas.

According to a notification issued by the Ministry of Defence, a copy of which is available with Dawn.com, the committee has been constituted to control the escalating situation following a meeting between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and leader of the opposition in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, Akram Khan Durrani on Wednesday.

The newly-formed committee will hold a meeting at the Durrani House in Bannu at 10am on Friday and the committee members will subsequently leave for Mir Ali to hold talks with protesters who have been staging a sit-in in the area.

“The restoration of law and order situation in Mir Ali and Miranshah is the top priority of the 16-member jirga,” the notification added.

The committee consists of Akram Khan Durrani, Maulana Ata-ur-Rehman (JUIF), Ameer Muqam (PML-N), Murtaza Javed Abbasi (PML-N), Ajmal Wali Khan (ANP), Najamuddin Khan (PPP), Faisal Karim Kundi (PPP), Sikander Khan Sherpao (QWP), Abdullah Nangyal (NDM), Haider Khan Advocate (PkMAP), Mukhtar Bacha (NP-Bizenjo group), Fayyaz Khan (JUP-Noorani group), Zakir Shah (Jamiat e Ahle Hadees, Sajid Mir group), Maulana Ataul Haq Darwesh (JUP), Senator Mushtaq Ahmed Khan (JI) and Prof. M. Ibrahim Khan (JI).

Deputy Commissioner North Waziristan Shahid Ali Khan had on Aug 3 held a press conference, saying around 63 incidents of targeted killings were reported in the district, with most of them occurring in Mir Ali area.

With additional input from Sirajuddin