Cynthia D. Ritchie

In June 2020, Ritchie made allegations of sexual misconduct against Rehman Malik, a Pakistani politician belonging to the Pakistan Peoples Party.

[2] She has been described as a global citizen and has written on topics including interfaith harmony, women's and children's rights, tourism, and strong Pakistan–United States relations.

[3][4][5][6][7][8] In July 2020, the Interior Ministry of Pakistan announced before Islamabad High Court that Ritchie was allowed to work and had been given clearances and travel assistance for film projects by Inter-Services Public Relations and the regional Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

According to Baqir Sajjad Syed, Ritchie worked in Pakistan for the Omair-Sana Foundation and Humanity Hope, institutions which are owned or managed by US-based Pakistani doctors.

[citation needed] In 2013, Michael Kugelman from the Woodrow Wilson Institute in Washington, D.C. described Ritchie as one of "[t]en Americans doing great things for Pakistan".

She started visiting the region two years prior to the Osama bin Laden raid, and said her presence in the Federal health ministry at the time was "a coincidence".

[26] A few weeks later, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) issued notices in a petition by Ritchie seeking registration of a rape case against Malik.

Ritchie said she had lodged a complaint with the US embassy a few days after the alleged incident, due to her being on lockdown orders from the Interior Minister, which said she should remain in her quarters for safety because Americans were targets after the Bin Laden raid.

She said impartial investigations must take place into the motorway gang rape incident, that rapists should be punished to the fullest extent of the law, and the law-enforcement agencies must work together to ensure vulnerable populations' safety.

The court issued notices and adjourned the hearing of the case until 30 September, where Mailk's attempt to quash Ritchie's request for registration of FIR against Malik were denied him.

Both the Pakistan Telecom Authority and Federal Investigation Agency cyber-crime division said Ritchie committed no criminal offence and they would not pursue a case against her.

[43] The PPP then issued a series of First Information Reports (FIRs) against Ritchie and approached the Islamabad High Court to have her deported due to her political statements on Twitter.