Gillani pleads court to become party in US blogger’s case

A plea was filed on behalf of former premier Yousuf Raza Gillani in a sessions court in Islamabad on Thursday seeking to become a respondent in a case filed by US blogger Cynthia Dawn Ritchie against former interior minister Rehman Malik.

Additional District and Sessions Judge Javed Iqbal Sipra heard the application filed under Section 22-A of the Criminal Procedure Code.

Gillani’s counsel Javed Iqbal Vaince appeared before the court and adopted the stance that the former prime minister wanted to submit his reply in this case.

He requested the court to grant time until next hearing for the submission of power of attorney on behalf of Gillani saying that the former premier was in quarantine as he had tested positive for Covid-19.

Cynthia’s counsel Imran Feroz, while opposing the move to make Gillani a party, said that they had not named the PPP leader as a respondent in the application.

The court adjourned the hearing and sought reply from the respondents on July 20.

The police have already submitted their reply in the case.

On June 23, Cynthia had moved a local court for registration of a first information report (FIA) against Rehman Malik on the issue of harassment.

She submitted her application to an additional district and sessions judge under Section 22-A of the Criminal Procedure Code, seeking a directive for the Islamabad police to register an FIR against Rehman Malik, the chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on Interior.

Cynthia had accused former interior minister Senator Rehman Malik of having raped her in Islamabad in 2011 — a charge the senior PPP leader had strongly denied.

She had also accused ex-prime minister Yousuf Raza Gillani and former federal minister Makhdoom Shahabuddin of "physically manhandling" her while Gillani was staying at the "President's House".