Former Prime Minister and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Yousuf Raza Gilani has strongly denied the allegations of American blogger Cynthia D. Ritchie.
In an interview with BBC, he said: “The real problem is that Cynthia said something about Benazir Bhutto a few days ago," he said.
"She had spoken insultingly against Benazir. My son, who is also a member of the Punjab Assembly, has filed a defamation suit against her (Cynthia) for her statement against Benazir. This is just her reaction."
Yousuf Raza Gilani said he had recently met Cynthia for the first and last time and had never known her before.
"Zulfi is a diplomat. A forum reception was held at his house three or four months ago. Jalil Abbas Jilani and I were gathered there. Dozens of others were also present." There he met her for the first time. "I didn't even know her before," he said.
The former prime minister said that even his worst opponents could not talk about his character in the way she did.
Rehman Malik and Makhdoom Shahabuddin have not yet responded to the allegations yet.
Earlier, Cynthia D. Ritchie, an American blogger based in Pakistan, had 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”.
In an interview with BBC, he said: “The real problem is that Cynthia said something about Benazir Bhutto a few days ago," he said.
"She had spoken insultingly against Benazir. My son, who is also a member of the Punjab Assembly, has filed a defamation suit against her (Cynthia) for her statement against Benazir. This is just her reaction."
Yousuf Raza Gilani said he had recently met Cynthia for the first and last time and had never known her before.
"Zulfi is a diplomat. A forum reception was held at his house three or four months ago. Jalil Abbas Jilani and I were gathered there. Dozens of others were also present." There he met her for the first time. "I didn't even know her before," he said.
The former prime minister said that even his worst opponents could not talk about his character in the way she did.
Rehman Malik and Makhdoom Shahabuddin have not yet responded to the allegations yet.
Earlier, Cynthia D. Ritchie, an American blogger based in Pakistan, had 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”.