Court Summons SSP, SHO Bani Gala Over Failure To Register FIR Against American Blogger

Court Summons SSP, SHO Bani Gala Over Failure To Register FIR Against American Blogger
The court of Session Judge Islamabad-East has summoned Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Islamabad and SHO Bani Gala police station on June 8 in a case pertaining to Cynthia D Ritchie, an American blogger, currently based in Pakistan. The complaint accuses her of hurting public sentiment and 'provoking widespread anger and offence among a significant portion of the population' by her remarks against former prime minister Benazir Bhutto on social media.

Earlier, Waqas Ahmed Abbasi, a resident of Islamabad, had filed a petition, under section 22-A OF Cr.P.C, in the court against the Islamabad police for not registering case against Cynthia D Ritchie for her public provoking against from prime minister Benazir Bhutto and former president Asif Ali Zardari.
Waqas lodged a complaint with the Bani Gala police station and requested legal action against her, but the police allegedly employed delaying tactics. The capital city's resident then approached the court requesting it to order the police to register case against the American citizen.

Meanwhile, former Senator Sehar Kamran in her letter [dated May 29, 2020] to Lt General Faiz Hameed HI (M) Director General Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Islamabad had requested investigation against Cynthia.

“As you may be aware, via the platform of her social media accounts [Twitter handle @CynthiaDRitchie] , Ritchie has been playing an incendiary role, with what appears to be the aim of inflaming public sentiment, provoking widespread anger and offence among a significant portion of the population, as well as the millions of Pakistanis both at home and abroad who follow, love and respect Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto,” the former Senator in her letter states.

The letter further states that Cynthia's derogatory and libelous comments are becoming increasingly offensive and dangerous, ranging from her outrageously false allegations against a globally respected and twice elected democratic leader to maligning one of the largest political parties in the country by insulting its connections with anti-state entities.

A thorough review of her profile highlights how this is far from the first time Ritchie has sought to instigate controversy, the open letter to ISI chief states.

The letter further asked, "why and in what capacity is Ms Ritchie a resident in Pakistan? What is the nature and duration of her visa statues? Who is her sponsor to this end?"

The former Senator, in her letter, also requested the ISI chief to take immediate notice of the activities of Cynthia, and the initiation of a process for her immediate deportation from Pakistan.
Digital Reporter