Meesha Shafi has challenged a Rs5 million defamation verdict in the Lahore High Court after a lower court ruled in favour of Ali Zafar. The appeal marks a new phase in the long-running legal dispute between the two artists, which began after Shafi publicly accused Zafar of sexual harassment several years ago. The sessions court had earlier ordered Shafi to pay damages following Zafar’s defamation claim, which initially sought compensation amounting to Rs1 billion.
Shafi’s legal counsel argued in the appeal that the trial court committed errors while assessing the case and interpreting the available evidence. According to the petition, the court concluded that Shafi failed to prove her allegations but did not require Zafar to demonstrate that the alleged harassment never occurred. Her lawyers contend that the legal reasoning behind the judgment was flawed and that the decision should be reconsidered by the high court after a more thorough evaluation of the facts presented during the proceedings.
Read more : Evidence leading to the judgement in Ali Zafar and Meesha Shafi’s
The appeal also highlighted that Shafi had earlier approached the provincial ombudsperson with a complaint regarding harassment, although that complaint was eventually dismissed. However, her challenge to that decision remains pending before the Supreme Court of Pakistan. Her legal team argued that the defamation ruling should not have been issued while the related matter regarding the harassment complaint continues to await a final decision at the highest judicial level.
The legal battle between the two musicians has continued for more than eight years and involved extensive court proceedings. During this period, the case saw nine different judges preside over hearings, while courts conducted a total of 283 hearings to examine evidence and arguments. Additionally, statements from 20 witnesses were formally recorded during the trial, and cross-examinations were completed before both sides presented their final arguments before the sessions court.
Read more : Court orders Meesha Shafi to pay Rs 5 million in damages to Ali Zafar
The dispute began in 2018 when Zafar filed a defamation suit after Shafi posted allegations of harassment on social media platforms. Zafar maintained that the claims were false and severely damaged his professional reputation, goodwill and livelihood within the entertainment industry. Through his counsel, he demanded Rs1 billion in damages and requested that the court direct Shafi to issue an unconditional public apology alongside financial compensation.
Over the years, the case has passed through multiple legal stages, including appeals and interim orders from different courts. In 2021, the Supreme Court accepted Shafi’s petition challenging earlier proceedings and agreed to review several legal points raised in her plea. The apex court also decided to link the matter with an ongoing case examining the legal definition of sexual harassment, leaving several broader legal questions still awaiting final determination.