Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Thursday expressed "deep concern" over the deteriorating law and order situation in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) as he expanded the negotiation committee to find a solution to end the violent protests.

Sharif's move came following a three-day strike by the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JKJAAC), prompted by the failure of the talks between the JKJAAC, representatives of PoK and the federal government to address the issues raised by the protesters.

At least six civilians and three police personnel have been killed during the ongoing demonstrations in PoK, The News reported.

Local authorities said that nearly 172 police personnel were injured in the protests, with the condition of 12 reported as critical. Around 50 civilians also sustained injuries amid the violent demonstrations, the paper added.

Expressing "deep concern over the unfortunate incidents during the protests", PM Sharif ordered a transparent investigation into the matter, his office said in a statement.

Sharif also directed the law enforcement agencies to exercise restraint and patience with the protesters.

“The prime minister has made a strong appeal to citizens to remain peaceful,” it said. "He has urged that peaceful protest is the constitutional and democratic right of every citizen, but protesters should refrain from causing harm to public order." “At the government level, to find a peaceful resolution to the issue, the prime minister has decided to expand the negotiation committee,” the statement said.

The existing committee will now also include Senator Rana Sanaullah, Federal Ministers Sardar Yusuf, Ahsan Iqbal, former “President” of PoK Masood Khan, and former minister Qamar Zaman Kaira.

Already, a committee led by PoK "Prime Minister” Chaudhry Anwarul Haq and Federal Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry is holding talks with the protesters.

On Wednesday, Haq and Chaudhry invited the JKJAAC for a fresh dialogue.

The strike, called by the JKJAAC over the issue of its unfulfilled charter of demands, saw simultaneous protests by rival groups, which accused each other of fomenting violence during an otherwise peaceful demonstration.

Media reports on Wednesday showed that shops, hotels, and commercial centres across Muzaffarabad remained closed while public transport disappeared from the roads. Although schools were officially open, classrooms were largely empty as students stayed home, the reports said.

The JKPAAC had issued a 38-point charter of demands, including ending 12 reserved seats for refugees and rolling back “privileges of the elite”.

Chaudhry told reporters on Wednesday that “90 per cent of the committee's demands have already been accepted... federal ministers stand as guarantors to ensure implementation of these demands.”

Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Telegraph Online staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.