The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has ordered Interior Ministry to take a decision regarding an application seeking deportation of US blogger Cynthia D Ritchie, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

During proceedings on Friday, the court directed the Interior Ministry to take a decision on the application in accordance with the law and inform the court by July 15.

The former ruling party, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has moved the court seeking deportation of Cynthia Ritchie as her visa had expired. Latif Khosa represented the petitioner while Deputy Attorney General Tayyab Shah appeared in court on behalf of the Federation.

As the proceedings began on Friday, IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah inquired “What order the Interior Ministry passed in this regard?”

Upon which, DAG Tayyab Shah informed the court that no one from the petitioner’s side appeared in the Interior Ministry on July 8. The counsel for Cynthia Ritchie appeared before the ministry and sought more time, Tayyab Shah added.

On this, Latif Khosa said that they did go to the Interior Ministry and got registered their case there.

The Chief Justice directed the Interior Ministry officials that they need no direction from the court and they can make a decision on their own. “We referred this case to the Interior Ministry so we can gauge their conduct,” the IHC chief judge maintained.

Cynthia Ritchie, who first came to Pakistan in 2010 and has more or less resided there since, describes herself as an "American freelance director, producer and writer" on her social media accounts.

Ritchie accused former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani of sexually harassing her, and former interior minister Rehman Malik of raping her in 2011. Both politicians belong to the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), which was once headed by former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, who was slain in a 2007 terror attack in Rawalpindi.

Prior to these allegations, Ritchie also targeted Benazir Bhutto in one of her tweets.

The former ministers have denied Ritchie's accusations, but the US writer says she is ready to defend her claims in the court of law.