ISLAMABAD: Maria Golovnina, the Pakistan and Afghanistan bureau chief of Reuters who was based in Islamabad, was found dead at her office in the capital’s F-8 sector, sources in the police told Dawn.

Golovnina had reportedly gone to the toilet, and had not stepped out for a long time when people who were present barged in.

She was reportedly lying on the floor covered in vomit.

The bureau chief was rushed to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) where she was pronounced dead.

Doctors at Pims told Dawn Maria had passed away before she could be brought to the hospital.

The hospital will carry out a post-mortem before handing over the body to Russian authorities.

The cause of Golovnina's death could not be determined immediately and authorities have launched an investigation to ascertain the facts of the case.

Golovnina had been working with as the Reuters bureau chief for Pakistan and Afghanistan for the past year and a half.