Cynthia Ritchie, a US citizen based in Islamabad, sent a legal notice of Rs120mn former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, wherein she warned of legal action unless the ex-PM tendered an apology for levelling baseless allegations against her.
Ritchie sent the notice through her counsel Nasir Azeem Khan Advocate, in which she stated that Gilani had harassed her and damaged her reputation by making false accusations.
She alleged that the former prime minister had harassed her “in connivance” with ex-interior minister Rehman Malik 2011. The legal notice accused the PPP media cell of harassing Ritchie on social media as well.
Saying that she was defamed locally and internationally, the blogger called on Gilani to apologise to her. Ritchie warned that in case the PPP leader did not apologise for levelling allegations against her within 14 days, she would initiate legal action against him.
Ritchie made headlines when she accused former interior minister Rehman Malik of raping her in 2011, during a video broadcast live on Facebook.
She also accused then health minister Makhdoom Shahabuddin of “manhandling” her, saying that Gilani had given her an “awkward hug”, stating that the incidents occurred in 2011 when the PPP was in power.
Gilani had also sent a defamation notice of Rs100 million to Ritchie after she went public with accusations against him. The legal notice was sent to the US citizen through Gilani’s lawyers who asked her to respond within 14 days.
Malik, Gilani and Shahbuddin have categorically rejected Ritchie’s allegations.
