Rehman Malik serves third defamation notice to Cynthia Ritchie

ISLAMABAD: Former interior minister and senior PPP leader Rehman Malik, through his lawyers, served another defamation notice of Rs500 billion to US blogger Cynthia Ritchie over what he claims are false, frivolous and baseless allegations during her media talk outside the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday, reported The News.

Speaking to media outside the IHC on Monday, Ritchie had alleged that horrific stories against former prime minister Benazir Bhutto were told to her by Malik.

According to the legal notice, Malik had never had any such conversation with the US citizen.

He strongly rejected all allegations against him, terming them malice, highly derogatory and defamatory and a pack of lies to damage his national and international reputation which he has earned after tireless struggle for decades as investigator, politician, parliamentarian, former interior minister and author of three books and hundreds of articles published in national and international media.

Malik said he considers it below his dignity to respond to the baseless and malicious allegations levelled against him by a foreign lady and has decided to take her to court with her pack of lies to face the law.

On June 9, Malik, who has been accused of rape by Ritchie, has couriered her a second defamation notice worth Rs50 billion. A Rs500 million defamation notice was sent a day prior in response to Ritchie's allegations against the former interior minister.

The June 9 notice was sent in connection with the US blogger's appearance on various news channels on Sunday and "levelling baseless allegations" against the senator on air.

"Cynthia Ritchie's accusations are a pack of lies. I strongly reject them," said Malik.

"[She] levelled undue and baseless allegations on television programmes," he added.

"I will have her answer for her lies in court," Malik vowed.

Cynthia Ritchie moves court against Rehman Malik

Separately, Ritchie filed a petition in the court for justice of peace-seeking directions for registration of a case against the PPP leader.

The petition was filed by Ritchie’s lawyer Imran Faroz Malik in the court of Additional Session Judge Javed Iqbal Sipra on Tuesday. The petition stated that the US citizen was facing life threats from Malik. It stated that an application was submitted in this regard at Secretariat Police but no action was taken by the police.

The petition added that PPP leaders Malik, Yusaf Raza Gillani and others were harassing her and sought registration of case against the alleged accused.