Interior ministry has decided not to deport US citizen Cynthia Ritchie. Interior ministry has taken this decision on PPP application seeking to deport US Blogger. Ministry has filed a copy of this decision in Islamabad High Court (IHC).
Interior ministry has said in its decision according to security agencies report Cynthia has not been found involved in illegal and anti-state activities.
Read more: Rehman Malik challenges US blogger Cynthia with Rs 500m defamation case
Interior ministry has given clean chit to US blogger Cynthia Ritchie. IHC has directed the interior ministry to provide a copy of the decision to the parties concerned.
Interior ministry decision says foreigners visas were extended till August 31, therefore, Cynthia Ritchie can live in Pakistan till August 31 according to law. Cynthia has filed a separate application seeking extension in her visa too. Action will be taken on her application regarding further extension after August 31 as per law.
PPP has approached ISI’s chief Lt. Gen Faiz Hameed to deport Cynthia Ritchie for giving defamatory remarks against Benazir Bhutto. "The imagery presented by her pictures with military leadership and senior bureaucracy is deepening civil-military divide." https://t.co/UfIiFtc1Om
— NDN (@NDN_pk) June 1, 2020
Cynthia’s tweets: PPP seeks ISI’s help
It may be mentioned that Cynthia Ritchie had done several tweets against PPP leadership including Benazir Bhutto.
Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) had approached Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI)’s chief Lt. General Faiz Hameed to deport US blogger Cynthia Ritchie for giving defamatory remarks against the late former prime minister Benazir Bhutto on Twitter.
English daily, The Nation reported that PPP leader Sehar Kamran urged the intelligence agency to take immediate notice of the activities of Cynthia D Ritchie, and initiation of a process for her immediate deportation from Pakistan, as well as declaring her a persona non grata.
Read more: Social media thrashes Marvi Sirmed on her stance against Cynthia Ritchie
In her letter to ISI chief, Sehar Kamran said: “Ms. Ritchie has been playing an incendiary role, with what appears to be the aim of inflaming public sentiment, provoking widespread anger and offense 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.”
She said that the blogger’s derogatory and libellous comments are becoming increasingly offensive and dangerous, ranging from her outrageously false allegations against a “globally respected, twice elected democratic leader – and the first female Prime Minister within the Muslim world – to maligning one of the largest political parties in the country by insinuating its connections with anti-state entitle.”
Rehman Malik challenged US blogger Cynthia with Rs 500m defamation case
Earlier, PPP leader Rehman Malik filed a Rs 500 million defamation case against US blogger Cynthia D Ritchie. He called her allegations “false, frivolous and baseless”. He has filed his case in the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
Moreover, a notice was sent to the US blogger Cynthia D Ritchie to rescind her accusation and issue an unqualified apology. Former Interior Minister Rehman Malik denied the rape allegations of American blogger Cynthia D Ritchie. He called the accusation ‘wild’ and ‘baseless’.
After categorically denying the accusations, Rehman Malik filed a defamation case the US blogger.
“Senator A. Rehman Malik has endorsed the statement of former Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani wherein he has denied the allegations levelled by US Citizen Cynthia D. Ritchie,” said a statement released by the PPP leader’s spokesperson.
Rehman Malik said that these allegations are intended to malign and scandalize him with malafide intentions. Even former PM Yousuf Raza Gillani denied the allegations of Cynthia D Ritchie.
Online Int’l News with additional input by GVS News Desk