ISLAMABAD - Pakistan People’s Party senior leader Senator Rehman Malik yesterday through his lawyers served another Rs 50 billion defamation notice to US citizen Cynthia D. Ritchie over “false, frivolous and baseless allegation of rape” against him in talk shows on different private television channels.

Senator Malik, Chairman Senate Standing Committee on Interior and former Interior Minister, strongly rejected all allegations against him and has termed those 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.

He said that he considers it bellow his dignity to respond to the “baseless and malicious allegations” levelled against him by a foreigner, adding, he would take her to the court with her pack of lies to face the law. 

Senator Malik said that running of such highly defamatory interviews on private TV channels are against the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority Rules and “our national ethics particularly in one absence.”

He urged the television channels to refrain from telecasting defamatory interviews and news against him. 

The notice said: “On 07th June, 2020, you appeared on Hum TV talk show “Breaking Point with Malick” hosted by anchorperson Mr. Muhammad Malick wherein you levelled false, bogus and malicious allegations of rape against the former Interior Minister Rehman Malik.

It added: “You also appeared on the same day on Geo TV talk show “Naya Pakistan” hosted by anchorperson “Shehzad Iqbal”, wherein you have leveled same false, bogus and malicious allegations against my client.”

Due to levelling, publication and circulation of above said false, frivolous and baseless allegation, “the reputation of my client has adversely suffered both at the national and international level. He has a right to redeem his position,” it said.

The notice said: “My client is constrained to demand from you as token damages, an amount of Rupees 50 Billion in addition to prompt withdrawal of the above said allegation in the same manner in which it was released and posted on social, print and electronic media, within 15 days of receipt of this legal notice besides an unqualified apology from you in this regard.”

In case of non-adherence to the instant legal notice, the notice said: “my client will resort to civil and criminal proceedings against you through the courts of competent jurisdiction and in that eventuality you would be solely responsible for all costs and consequences including damages to the tune of Rupees Five Billion which my client may demand by way of damages from the relevant forum of law.”