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Updated: Oct 27, 2017 19:02 IST

An Islamabad-based journalist, who focused on political issues and was critical of the government, was injured when he was attacked by unidentified men armed with knives and metal rods at a busy intersection on Friday morning.

Police said Ahmed Noorani, a reporter of The News newspaper that is part of the Jang media group, was intercepted and attacked by the assailants at Zero Point area in Islamabad.

The men attacked Noorani and his driver with knives and rods and then ran away. Both injured men were taken to the nearby Poly Clinic for treatment and their condition was described as stable despite wounds to the head.

Noorani had extensively covered the legal troubles of former premier Nawaz Sharif’s family since the Panama Papers were leaked. He also covered the Panama Papers case in the Supreme Court that resulted in Sharif’s ouster from office.

Ansar Abbasi, who leads the team of investigative reporters at The News, tweeted that Noorani had been "severely beaten" by six attackers and sustained "multiple head injuries". He added, "He is conscious."

Noorani had earlier complained of receiving threats from unidentified persons. He has also withdrawn from social media and shut down his Twitter account over the past few days, citing threats he was facing.

Both Noorani and Abbasi have extensively reported on political developments but colleagues have criticised the manner in which they have attacked individuals and institutions without adequate proof.

Both journalists, in the past, have defended the military and some years back also supported certain actions of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan.