LAHORE: The legal dispute between Meesha Shafi and Ali Zafar has entered a new phase after the actor-singer filed an appeal in the Lahore High Court against a sessions court ruling in a defamation case.
In her petition, Shafi argued that the trial court failed to properly assess the facts and evidence, asserting that the order directing her to pay Rs5 million in damages does not align with legal standards. Consequently, she requested the high court to set aside the earlier verdict and order a fresh hearing of the case.
The dispute began when Shafi accused Zafar of sexual harassment, an allegation he strongly denied. Subsequently, Zafar filed a defamation suit against her, which a sessions court later decided in his favor, awarding damages of Rs5 million.
However, Shafi contended in her appeal that the ruling was flawed and based on an incomplete evaluation of the case. She maintained that Zafar’s claims were not sufficiently proven and emphasized that her harassment complaint had already been filed with the provincial ombudsperson.
Furthermore, she noted that the matter remains pending before the Supreme Court of Pakistan, indicating that related legal proceedings are still ongoing. Therefore, she urged the court to suspend the defamation verdict until a final decision is reached in the harassment case.
In addition, Shafi requested that the damages imposed by the sessions court be set aside, arguing that enforcing the penalty before resolving the underlying allegations would be unjust.
The case continues to draw significant public attention, as both artists remain prominent figures in Pakistan’s entertainment industry and the outcome may carry broader legal implications.
