ISLAMABAD Aug 22: The journalists on Wednesday staged token walk out from the press gallery of the Senate to protest against manhandling of a private television reporter.

The reporter was picked up, thrashed and left fainted on Murree Road.

The government took immediate notice of the walk-out and sent a minister to talk to the reporters in the pressroom.

Meanwhile, leader of the house in Senate Wasim Sajjad condemned in the strongest terms the report that one Babar Malik working in a television channel was picked up by unknown people when he was returning home and thrashed him up. He asked the interior ministry to undertake inquiry into the incident and take action against perpetrators of the manhandling of a reporter.

Minister of state for parliamentary affairs who came to woo the protesting journalists back to the press gallery assured that the police would be asked to register case and start investigations.