ISLAMABAD, Nov 10: National Assembly Speaker Dr Fehmida Mirza constituted a 17-member special committee on Monday to monitor implementation of a resolution on national security passed by the joint session of both houses of parliament on Oct 22.

Addressing a press conference, the speaker said the committee had been formed in consultation with parliamentary leaders of both the houses to periodically review, provide guidelines and monitor implementation of the principles framed and roadmap given in the resolution.

Dr Mirza said the committee comprising 10 Senators and seven MNAs would frame its own rules and Mian Raza Rabbani would preside over its meetings because the chairman of the committee was yet to be appointed.

She said the committee had been asked to frame rules within one month from the date of its notification.

The speaker said that the committee would be allowed to hold open public meetings in troubled areas, if it wanted to do so.

Its discussions on sensitive matters of national security and its visits would, however, be kept confidential, she added.

The committee may also call for convening an in-camera session of parliament if required, Dr Mirza said, adding that committee’s consensus formulations would be made public.

The committee members are: Mian Raza Rabbani, Babar Awan and Sherry Rehman (PPP), Ishaq Dar and Mehtab Abbasi (PML-N), Wasim Sajjad (PML-Q), Syed Haider Abbas Rizvi (MQM), Asfandyar Wali (ANP), Maulana Fazlur Rehman (JUI-F), Prof. Khurshid Ahmed (JI), Abdur Razzaq Thaheem (PML-F), Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao (PPP-S), Abdur Rahim Mandokhel (PkMAP), Mir Israrullah Zehri (BNP-A), Shahid Hassan Bugti (JWP), Maulana Sami-ul-Haq (JUI-S) and Munir Khan Orakzai (Fata).