US blogger Cynthia Ritchie claims PPP's Rehman Malik raped her in 2011

American blogger alleges that US embassy response was 'not adequate' when informed about incident


Kazim Hamdani June 05, 2020
American blogger alleges that US embassy response was 'not adequate' when informed about incident.PHOTO: INSTAGRAM

KARACHI: Tensions between American blogger Cynthia Ritchie and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) reached a fever pitch on Friday after she accused former interior minister Rehman Malik of spiking her drink and raping her at his official residence in 2011.

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Ritchie posted a Facebook live video earlier today, not only detailing how the PPP senator allegedly sexually assaulted her but also accusing two other senior PPP leaders of manhandling and harassing her.



Last month, the US national's controversial comments on slain two- time premier Benazir Bhutto sparked uproar within the PPP ranks culminating in a complaint being filed against her with the Federal Investigation Agency's cybercrime wing.

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She has since posted photos of other PPP leaders while also making salacious claims about the party’s senior leadership. It has resulted in a lot of hate being directed her way by PPP die-hards on social media.



After constantly insinuating that she had her reasons for the mud-slinging, she tweeted that the 'ordeal' took place at Malik's official residence in the Minister's Enclave in 2011 "around when the Osama Bin Laden incident happened".



"I thought it was a meeting about my visa but I was given flowers [and] a drugged drink," she claimed, adding that she had "kept quiet" about the incident because "who in the [ruling government] would help me against the [accused minister]?"



Cynthia said she also informed the US embassy in 2011 about the incident, adding that “owing to fluid and complex Pak-US relations, the response was less than adequate".



The Express Tribune contacted Cynthia, but she did respond till the filing of this report.


In the video, she also made serious allegations against two other senior party leaders — a federal minister and former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gillani, claiming they had "physically manhandled" her when the latter "was staying at the President House".

PPP hits back

Ali Haider Gilani, the former PM’s son, responded to the allegations on Twitter: "Can a prime minister ever commit such an act at the Aiwan-e-Sadr?"



He went on to ask who gave her the right to accuse politicians ‘like this’, adding that even responding to such allegations would be "contemptuous".

He said that Ritchie "should be ashamed of herself for saying such things"."I am not worried about what was said about me. I am more concerned about the baseless accusations levelled at Benazir".

"Later, in a conversation with private news channel Geo News, the former premier said that he had met Cynthia a while back at a diplomat's residence, as well as, at different occasions in large settings.

"I am not aware of her background. She had contacted my son Ali Qadir Gillani a while back. She told my son his father is an honourable man and he should inquire after me on her behalf."

COMMENTS (1)

Prof. Ghafoor Tahir | 3 years ago | Reply She has evil designs in her mind. The person, power or a gang behind her has an unsuccessful attempt to decline the image of not only a political party but also the credibility of our politicians. However, it will no longer remain a mystery and the hidden hand is certainly to be unveiled.
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