US blogger Cynthia Ritchie sent former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani a legal notice of Rs120mn in which she threatened to take legal action against him unless he tendered an apology, on Thursday.
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 and ex-interior minister Rehman Malik had both harassed her in 2011. The legal notice accused the PPP media cell of harassing her on social media as well.
Saying that she was defamed locally and internationally, the US 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, whiel 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.
