The fight between Pakistan-based US blogger Cynthia D. Ritchie and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) reached another level on Friday after Cynthia accused top PPP leadership of raping and assaulting her.
In a Facebook live session, Ritchie accused ex-interior minister Rehman Malik of raping her in the year 2011. Ritchie alleged Malik raped her in 2011 when the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) was in power.
“In 2011, I was raped by the former interior minister Rehman Malik. That’s right, I’ll say it again. I was raped by the then interior minister Rehman Malik,” she said the live video on her Facebook page
Ritchie also claimed that she was ‘physically manhandled’ by former health minister Makhdoom Shahabuddin and former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani while he was staying at the President House.
The blogger claimed everything she posted in the past few days on social media about the PPP was true and she had the evidence to prove it. Ritchie said she was reserving ‘some of the more graphic details’ because her audience could include children but added, she would be ‘happy to go into more detail’ with neutral investigative journalists.
Gepostet von Cynthia Dawn Ritchie am Freitag, 5. Juni 2020
In her video, Ritchie continued and said she had endured harassment primarily from the PPP for a number of years now. But, now she was ready to face everything and would not tolerate any attack on her. She also warned PPP to stay away from her.
“You have attacked me for so long. You made fake accounts, leaked my personal details. But you don’t know me and haven’t seen anything yet,” said Ritchie.
Ritchie also narrated the incident on Twitter
The blogger narrated the incident on Twitter also and said, “I’ve been engaged to a wonderful man who I met in Pakistan. He encouraged me to speak out, so we can move on as a couple.”
And, yes, I did tell someone at the UsEmb in 2011, but due to 'fluid' situation and 'complex' relations between US and Pakistan, response was less than adequate.
I've been engaged to a wonderful man who I met in ??. He encouraged me to speak out, so we can move on as a couple. https://t.co/PpfdF9Fuib
— Cynthia D. Ritchie (@CynthiaDRitchie) June 5, 2020
1/ My story is deeply emotional. Even my family has not known until now. I've tried to be positive & promote the softer side of Pakistan but have also experienced the very bad. I wish to tell my truth one time so that women, transgenders, locals can understand they are not alone.
— Cynthia D. Ritchie (@CynthiaDRitchie) June 6, 2020
3/ this was disgusting language used by men about BB who seem to be obsessed with raping women or enjoy telling fantasized stories of rape to women
The rape culture must stop. Women must work together to educate children re: what's not ok & defend themselves against predators.
— Cynthia D. Ritchie (@CynthiaDRitchie) June 6, 2020
Last month, Ritchie’s controversial comments about slain PPP leader Benazir Bhutto sparked uproar within the PPP ranks culminating in a complaint against her with the Federal Investigation Agency’s cybercrime. Ritchie also claimed PPP supporters threatened and harassed her since her comment went viral.
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