PESHAWAR: Though members of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly have formed a special house committee on security to discuss the law and order situation in the province and present a way forward, leadership of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) on Saturday decided to convene a “peace jirga” in the house.

The decision was made following a discussion on the province’s law and order situation, according to an official statement issued here.

The participants, including PTI chairman Barrister Gohar, Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, Speaker of the KP Assembly Babar Saleem Swati, PTI provincial president Junaid Akbar, former speaker of the National Assembly Asad Qaiser and other senior party leaders, decided that the jirga would bring together former chief ministers, governors, religious scholars, tribal elders, members of civil society, lawyers and other prominent figures from the province.

“The peace jirga’s objective is to formulate a joint strategy for the eradication of terrorism and the establishment of sustainable peace in the province,” the statement read.

Party leaders discuss law and order situation in province

The participants expressed “deep sorrow” over the recent Hangu bomb blast, offered fateha for the martyred police personnel and paid tribute to the police over their sacrifices.

Mr Afridi said the provincial government stood shoulder to shoulder with the police and would provide them with modern equipment, training and resources as a top priority.

In a tweet, PTI provincial president Junaid Akbar confirmed the convening of the jirga and said the party’s government would seek guidance from participants for peace and security in the province and the future course of action.

“We, the Pakhtuns, must rise above politics and party lines, sit together and find solutions to our problems,” he noted.

On Sept 8, MPAs held a detailed discussion on the law and order situation in the province and constituted a 30-member special house committee on security.

They were informed that the committee’s meeting would be chaired by Mr Swati and attended by lawmakers from merged tribal districts and other volatile regions. Some stakeholders will be in attendance on special invitation.

The committee, whose formation came with the consent of the treasury and opposition and after the conclusion of discussion on the law and order situation in the provincial assembly, will be briefed by the officials involved in operations against terrorism. They will also share data with participants, who will discuss ways to restore peace in the province.

During the sitting, chief whip of the PTI Akbar Ayub Khan said that the treasury and opposition held a sitting for constituting a house committee on the law and order situation in the province.

Leader of the Opposition Dr Ibadullah called for a debate on the law and order situation and said terms of reference for the security committee should be finalised and its meeting should be held soon for a way forward.

Speaker of the assembly Swati observed that a house committee with members from both treasury and opposition holding a meeting was like parliament standing by the government.

Published in Dawn, October 26th, 2025