Members of the Parliamentary Reporters Association (PRA) boycotted National Assembly proceedings on Monday, staging a dramatic walkout to protest alleged verbal abuse of a senior journalist by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan.

The protest unfolded at the very beginning of the assembly session, which was being presided over by Speaker Ayaz Sadiq. In a unified show of dissent, reporters vacated the press gallery, condemning the purported behavior toward veteran journalist Ijaz Ahmed.

“Imran Khan hurled abuses at me when I asked him a question,” Mr. Ahmed stated while speaking to the media. He confirmed that the demonstration was organized by the PRA’s election committee in response to the incident.

The disruption prompted an immediate reaction from the chair. Speaker Ayaz Sadiq instructed Federal Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar to initiate discussions with the PRA representatives and seek a resolution to the dispute.