The Cabinet Committee on Law and Order Wednesday approved formation of a joint investigation team (JIT) to probe the Anarkali Bazaar blast.

The approval came during a meeting of the committee presided over by Law Minister Raja Basharat. The committee got a detailed briefing on progress thus far made in the investigation into the January 20 incident that killed at least three people and wounded two dozen others.

The law minister directed the police investigators to finalise the Sialkot lynching case challan by next week. He called for provision of security to rallies to be taken out on Kashmir Day that will be observed on Feb 5.

Basharat instructed that the security plan chalked out for foreigners be thoroughly reviewed. He directed the home department to upgrade its control room.

The committee was informed that the culprit(s) behind the murder of a journalist outside the Lahore Press Club will be brought to justice at the earliest. The committee called for enhanced security for the upcoming Pakistan Super League (PSL) matches.

It also approved a compensation package for the martyred police officers.