ISLAMABAD, Jan 25: Journalists on Wednesday staged a token walkout in the Senate to protest against what they termed was the government’s inability to recover a Peshawar-based journalist who was abducted on Jan 2.

They had also staged a walk out from the upper house on Monday against the kidnapping before the government reassured them that the interior ministry would come out with ‘a solid statement’ on the outcome of its investigations on Wednesday. However, the journalists were dismayed after Minister of State for Interior Zafar Iqbal Warriach said that according to preliminary investigations, the incident appeared to be a kidnapping for ransom case and advised the MMA-led NWFP government to take the matter seriously.

Sohail Qalandar, resident editor of an Urdu daily, was abducted along with his friend from the outskirts of Peshawar and according to police investigation, he was taken somewhere in the Khyber Agency.

The minister said that the police had found the journalist’s vehicle in the settled area and, therefore, the provincial government was responsible for his recovery.

Minister of State for Information Tariq Azim and Minister of State for Education Anisa Zeb Tahirkheli, who came to the press room to pacify the journalists, said the government would ensure the journalist’s safe return.

Later, Tariq Azeem Khan told Senate that the government was making efforts and the NWFP governor had also been approached for the journalist’s recovery.

Federal Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination Salim Saifullah Khan said that he had also contacted the NWFP governor and inspector-general of police and assured that the kidnapped journalist would be recovered soon.

Senator Ilyas Bilour urged the government to ensure the journalist’s early safe return.

During talks, the reporters made it clear on the ministers of state that the Peshawar-based journalist had not been kidnapped for ransom as no one had so far made any demand and that he might have been kidnapped to punish him for his professional pursuits.