Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Shibli Faraz left in anger a meeting of National Assembly Standing Committee on Information when the lawmakers asked him to explain the reasons behind the illegal closure of 24NewsHD TV channel.

This behaviour by the cabinet member of a PTI government, which had promised new traditions based upon democratic values and transparency, was triggered when the members on Wednesday sought a written answer on the issue, including the law used to shut the news channel down.

PML-N Spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb said the mechanism used to close 24NewsHD should be shared with the committee. But Shibli got infuriated and said the proper procedure was adopted for the purpose.

As he left his chair, Marriyum questioned the way minister was leaving the room. But the angry minister said who was she to talk to him like this and added before leaving the room that he had replied to the query.

Meanwhile, the meeting chaired by the committee chairman, Mian Javed Latif of PML-N, also discussed the abduction of senior journalist Matiullah Jan who was picked up in Islamabad the previous day and hours later near Fatehjang.