A meeting of the parliamentary committee on national security began on Tuesday in the Parliament House on Tuesday. The country’s top military and political leaders are attending the meeting and strict security arrangements have been made.

The meeting was convened by Speaker National Assembly Ayaz Sadiq on the advice of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The meeting is in-camera.

Army Chief General Asim Munir and DG Inter-Services Intelligence Lt. General Asim Malik are also attending the meeting. Members of the federal cabinet including Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal are also present in the meeting.

Chief ministers and inspector generals of police from all provinces are attending the meeting. Governors from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan are also present in the meeting.

Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and JUI chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman are also attending the meeting.

Leaders from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf initially submitted 14 names of its members who would attend the meeting. However, the party later changed its decision and announced it would not attend. The party will be represented by Ali Amin Gandapur who will be present in his capacity as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister.

Balochistan National Party leader Sardar Akhtar Mengal was invited to the meeting but is also not attending.

The meeting was called after a wave of terrorist attacks swept the country in recent weeks. In a significant attack, five soldiers were martyred in Bannu Cannt. A bombing ripped through Darul Uloom Haqqania, killing Maulana Hamid-ul-Haq after Friday prayers. Then, 26 people were killed after the Jaffar Express was hijacked near Sibi. On Sunday, at least five people lost their lives when an FC convoy was bombed near Noshki.