ISLAMABAD - Veteran reporter associated with 'The News', Ahmad Noorani, was assaulted by unidentified assailants in Islamabad on Friday.

According to reports, Noorani's car was intercepted by three motorcyclists near Zero Point Interchange while he was heading to Islamabad from Rawalpindi.

A total of six unidentified men got down from their motorcycles and tortured Noorani and his driver with iron rods after taking out the keys from the ignition switch.

The attackers sped away after onlookers started gathering at the site and traffic started coming to a halt on the busy intersection, Geo News reported.

Noorani, who lost consciousness, was taken to the Poly Clinic and is being administered first aid while the police are investigating the case.

Noorani's colleague Azaz Syed shared a picture of him undergoing medical treatment

https://twitter.com/AzazSyed/status/923805209004036096

Editor investigation of The News, Ansar Abbasi stated that Noorani faced head injuries.

https://twitter.com/AnsarAAbbasi/status/923799877468983296

Ahmed Noorani, who has been critical of the state policies regarding foreign affairs and civil-military imbalance, left the microblogging site mysteriously on October 19.

Widespread Condemnation

As soon as the news of the assault on Noorani hit the headlines, journalists recorded their protest in droves to denounce the bid apparently aimed at thwarting freedom of speech.

https://twitter.com/mujibshami1/status/923811848956334085

https://twitter.com/TalatHussain12/status/923810041358143488

https://twitter.com/AzharAbbas3/status/923803798547640320

https://twitter.com/KlasraRauf/status/923807439874555904

https://twitter.com/Kashifabbasiary/status/923813490074165250

https://twitter.com/Shahidmasooddr/status/923810615751335936

https://twitter.com/samiabrahim/status/923814128329854976

https://twitter.com/jawabdeyh/status/923810681014583296

https://twitter.com/ajmaljami/status/923815018138882049

https://twitter.com/SyedAliHaider13/status/923813185840386048

https://twitter.com/MahrukhQureshi/status/923807580488654848

Apart from newsmen, political figures also decried the attack on Ahmed Noorani calling for immediate investigations.

https://twitter.com/ShireenMazari1/status/923806771357147137

https://twitter.com/Asad_Umar/status/923810250892996613

https://twitter.com/ShkhRasheed/status/923812309658718208