American blogger accuses politicians of rape, assault

IN A LIVE FACEBOOK VIDEO, THE BLOGGER SAID HER ‘ORDEAL’ HAD TAKEN PLACE AT RAHMAN MALIK’S OFFICIAL RESIDENCE IN THE MINISTERS’ ENCLAVE IN ISLAMABAD BACK IN 2011.

nISLAMABAD:AN American blogger who has lived in Pakistan for more than 10 years and is known for her pro-army stance has accused a former interior minister of raping her and a former prime minister and health minister of harassing her.

All three politicians have denied the charges, and in two instances, have filed a complaint with the country’s law enforcement agencies to investigate the matter further.

The blogger posted a live Facebook video on Friday in which she named former interior minister Rahman Malik, currently a member of the Senate or the upper house of parliament, of sexually assaulting her.

She also accused former PM Yousaf Raza Gilani and former health minister Makhdoom Shahabuddin of harassing her. All three politicians belong to the opposition Pakistan People’s Party (PPP).

This Facebook video was the latest in a series of exchanges between the American blogger and the leadership of the PPP, which has been incensed by accusations flung their way by the American.

In her latest accusation, she said her “ordeal” took place at

Malik’s official residence in the ministers’ enclave in Islamabad in 2011.

“I thought it was a meeting about my visa but I was given flowers (and) a drugged drink,” she claimed, adding she had “kept quiet” about the incident because “who in the (ruling government) would help me against the (accused minister)?”

The blogger said she had also informed the US embassy in 2011 about the incident.

Pakistan has appointed Muhammad Sadiq as the country’s special representative on Afghanistan, a position that has been created to lead Islamabad’s efforts in the Afghan peace process. Sadiq, a former envoy to Afghanistan, has vast experience in dealing with different Afghan parties.