By Radhwa
US blogger Cynthia Ritchie is feeling discarded. She was not expecting to get marching order back home after serving the interests of her and her friends here. On Wednesday the interior ministry rejected her application for visa extension ordering her to Pakistan within 15 days.
In June Islamabad High Court had sought an explanation from the ministry about the status and terms and conditions of the visa issued to Ritchie, asking it to explain if she was entitled to making “political statements”.
Petitioner Chaudhry Iftikhar Ahmed Ritchie is a foreign national and she has stayed in Pakistan without a valid visa therefore she should be deported.
The interior ministry observed that Cynthia Ritchie was granted a work visa in violation of policy and laws.
Interestingly Ms Ritchie has been living in Pakistan without visa extension since this February. While going to the United States and settle there can be a dream of every Pakistani youth Ms Ritchie finds Pakistan better than the US. She has been living here over a decade and during the period she was allegedly raped by PPP leader Rehman Malik.
But Cynthia Ritchie took nine years to file a claim against Mr Malik that she was raped by him in 2011.
Feeling discarded she tweeted on her marching sh said “the interior ministry had rejected her application “under pressure”.
“The MoI — under pressure best known to them — has for the first time, in my over 10+ years in Pakistan, rejected my visa application. No reason has been given. We have a right to file an appeal & will do so. A higher forum must entertain my application & upon merits grant visa,” she said.
Let’s see if she finds some sympathisers here help her extend her stay. — PAK DESTINY
The MoI -under pressure best known to them- has for the first time, in my over 10+ years in Pakistan, rejected my Visa application. No reason has been given. We have a right to file an appeal & will do so. A higher forum must entertain my application & upon merits grant visa.
— Cynthia D. Ritchie (@CynthiaDRitchie) September 2, 2020
cpec man could have come to her rescue but he is in hot waters