Islamabad, April 1: In yet another shocking crime details emerging from Pakistan, four men allegedly gang raped a woman in a van that moved around the Baga Sheikhan area which comes under the jurisdiction of Rawat police in Pakistan’s Punjab province, local media reported.

A police spokesperson said special teams have been set up to arrest the accused and raids were being conducted. He further mentioned that victim’s medical examination has been conducted, Pakistan’s leading daily Dawn reported.

The victim’s mother filed an FIR with the police on Sunday, stating that her 19-year-old daughter, who has been married for five years, went to the market to buy clothes for her children for Eid. After reaching Chak Beli Morr, she boarded a wagon to go to Rawat Bazaar.

During the journey, the conductor allegedly closed the door and turned the vehicle back towards Chak Beli Road. According to the FIR, the conductor overpowered the victim after she raised an alarm. The van then moved towards Chak Beli Road, where she was made to board another van by one individual, while the driver was identified as “S”.

The accused then took the victim to the Baga Sheikhan area, where they stopped near a house and tried to forcibly take her inside. As per the FIR, another accomplice was called to the spot. Thereafter, all four accused allegedly took turns to assault her in the vehicle while driving on different roads around Baga Sheikhan. Later, they dropped the victim near Chak Beli Morr.

The complainant stated that the accused threatened her daughter and recorded her video. Police has lodged a case and started a probe into the matter.

Earlier this month, the Human Rights Council of Pakistan (HRCP) revealed that 258 rape cases were reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in 2025. However, only one conviction was recorded.

HRCP revealed the fresh statistics in a 2025 human rights report launched at the Peshawar Press Club, Dawn reported. During the launch of the report, the council’s provincial president Izharuddin Khan said that around five per cent of women in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa faced violence regularly. He stated that about 30 per cent of gender-based violence cases were reported while nearly 70 per cent remained unreported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Khan mentioned that harassment cases were also reported in universities of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, adding that female students were not safe from gender-based harassment. According to the report, harassment complaints were made in University of Peshawar and University of Malakand. He said that traditional practices such as swara, the giving of girls in marriage to settle disputes, was still practiced in parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

According to the report, there was rise in digital harassment, with about 160,000 cybercrime cases reported in 2025. However, officials said these showed only cases where victims knew about cybercrime reporting techniques while an estimated 30 to 40 per cent of incidents went unreported due to lack of knowledge.

Representatives of the council urged the government to introduce legislation to safeguard rights of women and ensure their safety. They urged the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly to approve women’s empowerment policy and implement laws addressing acid attacks and domestic violence. They also called for setting up special courts and dedicated funds to tackle cases related to gender-based violence and demanded stronger measures to empower women and protect their rights.

Baghdad, April 1: An American journalist has been kidnapped in Baghdad by a suspected Iran-backed Iraqi armed group, the US Department of State confirmed, raising fresh concerns over the safety of foreign nationals in the region.

The State Department said it is actively working to secure the journalist’s release at the earliest.

“The US Department of State is aware of the reported kidnapping of an American journalist in Baghdad, Iraq. The State Department previously fulfilled our duty to warn this individual of threats against them, and we will continue to coordinate with the FBI to ensure their release as quickly as possible,” Dylan Johnson, Assistant Secretary of State for Global Public Affairs, said in a post on X.

He further stated, “An individual with ties to the Iranian-aligned militia group Kataib Hizballah believed to be involved in the kidnapping has been taken into custody by Iraqi authorities.”

Johnson also reiterated that Iraq remains under a Level 4 travel advisory, cautioning that Americans should not travel to the country under any circumstances and advising those present to leave immediately.

“The State Department strongly advise all Americans, including members of the press, to adhere to all travel advisories,” he added.

Earlier, the Iraqi Ministry of Interior confirmed in a statement on Tuesday that the journalist had been abducted by “unknown individuals” in Baghdad, according to the Iraqi News Agency.

Security forces have arrested one suspect and seized a vehicle allegedly used in the kidnapping following a pursuit operation, the ministry said, adding that efforts are ongoing to apprehend other individuals involved and ensure the journalist’s safe recovery.

The abducted journalist has been identified as Shelly Kittleson, a freelance reporter, by media advocacy organisations and Al-Monitor, one of the outlets where she has contributed.

Kittleson is known for her extensive reporting from conflict zones, particularly in Syria and Iraq, and has been working as a freelancer in the region for several years.

In a statement, Al-Monitor said it was “deeply alarmed” by her abduction and called for her “safe and immediate release.”

“We stand by her vital reporting from the region and call for her swift return to continue her important work,” the organisation said.

According to the International Women’s Media Foundation, Kittleson is a “legitimate journalist” with significant experience in the Middle East and is currently based in Rome.

Tehran, April 1: Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has sent a message to Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem, pledging continued support for the resistance against the United States and Israel, the semi-official Fars news agency reported early Wednesday.

In his message, Iran’s supreme leader appreciated Qassem’s condolences and sympathy for the “martyrdom” of his father, Iran’s former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in a US-Israeli airstrike in Tehran on February 28.

Khamenei said steadfastness and resistance against the Muslim world’s “most stubborn enemies,” namely, the United States and Israel, were among the most prominent characteristics of Iran’s former supreme leader, Xinhua news agency reported.

He praised late Hezbollah leaders for their fights, bravery and sacrifices.

Khamenei said he has confidence in Qassem’s wisdom, intelligence and courage to thwart the plans of Israel and restore honor and prosperity to the Lebanese people.

Iran’s Assembly of Experts on March 8 announced the selection of Mojtaba Khamenei as the country’s new supreme leader.

Meanwhile, Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) said that it had hit an Israeli container ship in the Persian Gulf with ballistic missiles during a new wave of attacks against US and Israeli targets, Tasnim news agency reported.

The IRGC warned that companies it accused of involvement in “terrorist espionage” could be targeted, naming several major US technology firms and urging employees and nearby residents to leave the areas. It also said that its forces have launched drone attacks on “important and strategic” communication, telecommunication, and industrial centers affiliated with the Israeli army.

Iran executed two “armed terrorists” affiliated with the Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization (MKO) for their involvement in several “terror operations” in Tehran aimed at toppling the country’s establishment.

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi called reports that Iran fired a missile toward Türkiye “completely baseless.”