Courts Summons Meesha Shafi’s Witnesses for Cross-Examination in Ali Zafar Defamation Case

The session court adjourned hearing to 18 October.

A sessions court in Lahore has summoned the witnesses of the singer/songwriter Meesha Shafi for cross-examination in the defamation lawsuit against her filed by fellow artiste Ali Zafar.

Additional District and Sessions Judge, Khan Mahmood, adjourned the hearing to 18 October after Shafi’s council and lawyer, Saqib Gilani, pleaded with the court to wait for the apex court’s decision.

Prior to this, the Lahore High Court (LHC) had dismissed her petition to record her cross-examination via video. She and her council have appealed the LHC’s dismissal to the Supreme Court and are awaiting its decision.

Ali Zafar’s Rs. 1 Billion Lawsuit

According to the lawsuit, Ali Zafar stated that the allegations of sexual harassment by Meesha Shafi and her supporters have tarnished his public image and put his family through “agony and pain”.

The Teefa in Trouble star asked the court to issue a decree against the songstress, directing her to pay Rs. 1 billion in damages.

The Story

One of the most talked-about controversies in recent times is the court battle between Ali Zafar and Meesha Shafi.

The scandal between the two artists began after Meesha Shafi claimed that the Channo hitmaker had sexually harassed her.

Following this, Meesha Shafi spearheaded the #MeToo movement as people applauded her for raising her voice.

Meesha Shafi - Ali Zafar

She filed a case on 17 September 2019 concerning a defamatory smear campaign by Ali Zafar. In the lawsuit, the singer contended the statements made by Ali Zafar on a private Pakistani news channel that falsely stated that she was a ‘liar’ and that she had made sexual harassment allegations to obtain fame and Canadian immigration.

Ali Zafar had also stated that Meesha Shafi wants to ‘become another Malala Yousafzai’, implying that even the latter had fabricated her assassination story.