Meesha Shafi is a Pakistani actress, singer, and model who accused Pakistani singer and actor Ali Zafar of sexual harassment in April 2018. She claimed that Zafar harassed her on more than one occasion during rehearsals for a concert in Lahore in 2017. Zafar denied the allegations and filed a defamation lawsuit against Shafi in response.
The case went to court in April 2019, with Zafar seeking Rs1 billion in damages. The court heard evidence from both parties, including witnesses and documentary evidence, and eventually ruled in Zafar’s favor in November 2019. The court found that Shafi had failed to prove her allegations of harassment and that her statements had damaged Zafar’s reputation.
Shafi filed an appeal against the decision, but the Lahore High Court dismissed her appeal in February 2021. Shafi’s lawyer argued that the trial court had not properly evaluated the evidence and that the decision was based on irrelevant factors, such as Zafar’s reputation and the fact that he was a “celebrity.” However, the High Court rejected these arguments and upheld the trial court’s decision.
Advocate Tariq Gul, the lawyer representing the petitioner, challenged Meesha Shafi during the hearing regarding the evidence she presented in court to support her claim of sexual harassment. This evidence was a photograph of both Shafi and the accused male singer together, which Shafi had posted herself on Facebook.
The lawyer contended that the photograph could not be regarded as proof of sexual harassment since the female singer herself had posted it on social media with a caption suggesting a celebratory event. In response, the singer stated that she could not recall the picture and needed to see it before providing additional comments. Subsequently, the photo was displayed to her.
Ali Zafar’s lawyer also questioned Meesha Shafi about her previous assertion that she was never summoned to court. The lawyer accused Shafi of intentionally misrepresenting the court’s order. Shafi responded by saying that it was a mistake on her part.
The case has been controversial in Pakistan, with many people taking sides either with Shafi or with Zafar. The case has also been seen as a test of Pakistan’s #MeToo movement and its ability to hold powerful men accountable for sexual harassment and abuse.
