Cynthia D. Ritchie, an American blogger based in Pakistan, has taken to Facebook Live with claims of rape and violence against high-profile leaders from the time of the PPP's federal government which lasted until 2013. According to the US blogger, she was raped by then Interior Minister Rehman Malik. Further, she claims, she was physically manhandled by then Health Minister Makhdoom Shahabuddin and then Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani – while the latter was staying at the President's House.
Based on a series of tweets by the American blogger after going live with her claims, she had gone to the Interior Minister's home in 2011, under the impression that she would meet him about her visa status. There, according to Ritchie, she was given “flowers/ a drugged drink”.
The blogger further tweeted that she had tried to bring this to the attention of the US embassy in Islamabad at that time, but due to the “fluid” situation and “complex” relations between the US and Pakistan at that time, the response was “less than adequate”.
Cynthia Ritchie has stated in her video that she will be happy to go into detail with the “appropriate, neutral investigative journalists” and that she “will be ready to meet any and all investigators, as is required by law, as early as next week.”
She has tweeted that she was encouraged to go public with her story by her fiance, who she met in Pakistan.
The blogger's claims come amid a series of tweets and accusations against various PPP leaders. She faces the possibility of legal action by the PPP after her recent allegations against slain former PPP leader Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto. She has also pledged to bring allegations against the PML-N, tweeting:
Based on a series of tweets by the American blogger after going live with her claims, she had gone to the Interior Minister's home in 2011, under the impression that she would meet him about her visa status. There, according to Ritchie, she was given “flowers/ a drugged drink”.
#CynthiaIsPrideOfPakistan claims that in 2011 @MediaCellPPP PM Yousuf Raza Gillani, Interior Minister Rehman Malik and Federal Minister Makhdoom Shahabuddin had raped her. @CynthiaDRitchie pic.twitter.com/zVJJh6ozyo
— Mohsin Bilal Khan (@MohsinBilalKhan) June 5, 2020
The blogger further tweeted that she had tried to bring this to the attention of the US embassy in Islamabad at that time, but due to the “fluid” situation and “complex” relations between the US and Pakistan at that time, the response was “less than adequate”.
Cynthia Ritchie has stated in her video that she will be happy to go into detail with the “appropriate, neutral investigative journalists” and that she “will be ready to meet any and all investigators, as is required by law, as early as next week.”
She has tweeted that she was encouraged to go public with her story by her fiance, who she met in Pakistan.
The blogger's claims come amid a series of tweets and accusations against various PPP leaders. She faces the possibility of legal action by the PPP after her recent allegations against slain former PPP leader Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto. She has also pledged to bring allegations against the PML-N, tweeting:
Don't worry, I'm not going to leave N-league out. They're next. InshaAllah. https://t.co/ZWCq9MAITC
— Cynthia D. Ritchie (@CynthiaDRitchie) June 4, 2020