Defiant Pakistani journalist says gunman shot him in ribs

ISLAMABAD (AP) — A Pakistani journalist said Tuesday he was wounded in a gun attack outside his home in the capital, Islamabad.

Absar Alam in a video message said a bullet hit him in the ribs, but it was unclear who shot him. He said to whoever attacked him: “Such tactics cannot scare me."

The attack drew condemnation from journalists, prompting Pakistan Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad to condemn the attack and order an investigation. Ahmad took to Twitter, saying he asked Islamabad police chief to find the man who shot Alam before fleeing.

Alam worked for Pakistani media for years before serving as head of the country's media regulatory body in 2015. He has been a critic of the government and the military.

Although Pakistan’s government insists it supports freedom of speech, journalists and press freedom advocates often accuse Pakistan’s military and its agencies of harassing and attacking journalists.