Interior ministry says US blogger Cynthia Ritchie not involved in anti-state activities

Ministry extends her visa till August 31 due to pandemic

ISLAMABAD:

The Ministry of Interior on Friday cleared US blogger Cynthia Ritchie of any wrongdoing and said that she is not involved in any illegal or anti-state activities.

Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Ather Minallah presided a hearing after the Pakistan People’s Party’s (PPP’s) requested the court to deport the US citizen.

The interior ministry submitted a report which gave the foreign blogger a ‘clean chit’ and validated her visa till August 31 as visas of foreigners were extended till the said date.

Richie had also filed a separate application for an extension of her visa. The decision on the application would be made after August 31 in accordance with the law.

The IHC directed the ministry to also provide a copy of the decision to the parties and adjourned the hearing.

After the hearing, PPP lawyer Latif Khosa told the media that the interior ministry had replied that Cynthia Richie's visa had been extended till August 31 due to the pandemic.

He added that Cynthia's visa expired on March 2 after which she received an eight-day extension. She applied for an extension on June 2.

“Cynthia's activities in business visa are everything except business,” Khosa said. “She goes to Miramshah and says that she is investigating PTM [Pashtun Tahafuz Movement], she says that sensitive agencies that are going with her. Is this part of the business visa requirement?”

The counsel further said that Ritchie claims that she is making documentaries.

“That is not part of her business visa,” Khosa said. “Cynthia, yesterday opened a bank account in which she has lied about her details.”

The PPP lawyer claimed that Ritchie is bankrupt in the United States and is a fugitive there. “She is particularly trying to tarnish the PPP”.

Cynthia had accused former interior minister Rehman Malik of raping her and former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani and former PPP minister Makhdoom Shahabuddin of physically manhandling her.