On Saturday, award-winning musician and actor Ali Zafar initiated criminal proceedings against singer Meesha Shafi for “misrepresentation, misstatement and fraud”.
The proceedings were filed against Meesha Shafi under section 476 for forging documents, misrepresentation, misstatement and fraud in the reply filed by Shafi to the defamation case filed against her by Ali Zafar.
“While the defamation case filed against Shafi by our client is under trial, we have initiated criminal proceedings under section 476 against forged documents, misrepresentation, misstatement and fraud with the honourable court in the reply filed by Shafi to the defamation case filed against her by my client. As lawyers as well as citizens of this country, we all have a duty to identify and expose those who exploit movements for their own personal and professional gain,” Zafar’s lawyer Ambreen Qureshi stated.
“For almost a year now, we are continually faced with resorts to delaying tactics by the other party, wasting courts’ precious time. The same happened during today’s court hearing. Shockingly, it was also pleaded today that Shafi is out of country while her pictures at the Aurat March (Women’s March) were all over social media. It is things like these that make our resolve stronger than ever to set a legal precedent against scurrilous online smear campaigns by publicly bringing to light evidence of the mala fide and malicious intent of the defendant and conspirators once and for all and put rest to any fraction of doubt that may be left in anyone’s mind,” Barrister Ambreen Qureshi said.
Earlier, “rockstar” Zafar delivered an exclusive performance at Aitchison College Old Boys’ Association (ACOBA) dinner which was held at Aitchison’s grounds.
The event hosted the Aitchison Alumni, who swayed and danced the night away with Zafar’s most iconic songs. Zafar kick-started his performance with his most remembered classics “Channo” and “Chal dil mere” which were sung to the audiences, to which they responded by joining him on stage and singing along. A large number of politicians, police officers, businessmen, bureaucrats and industrialists attended the college reunion along with their family members.
The spectacular performance had him singing classic songs by Kishore Kumar and Muhammad Rafi as well: two favourites Zafar has always mentioned in his interviews as well.
“I’m grateful to ACOBA for honouring me to come and perform at this prestigious event of one of the finest institutes of the country,” Zafar said.
A former Aitchisonian Ibrahim Hassan said, “It was a memorable night for us. Everyone was having a great time. He’s true rock star!”
Another former Aitchisonian, Jazik Akram, added that it was a night of music, fun and dance and the arrangements and ambiance were spectacular.
Zafar was seen accompanied by his family.
Earlier on Friday, on the occasion of International Women’s Day, Zafar paid a wonderful, emotional and heartfelt tribute to women through a well-scripted ghazal that he had written himself. The video for it, directed by internationally-acclaimed photographer and short filmmaker Adnan Qazi, showed Zafar sitting near his piano and mouthing the lyrics of the ghazal.
Zafar quotes, “Khilti Roshan Subho Ka, Komal Sa Roop ho Tum, Kabhi madham madham Chandni, Kabhi teekhi dhoop ho tum, Tum nahin mere sath, Tau meri haisiyat kia hai? Batlao tumharay ishq ki, yeh Kaifiyat kia hai? Ay aurat, tum bemisaal ho, Tum pe Puhanchay mera ye salaam, Meri rooh tumhari saltanat, Mera dil tera Ghulaam.”
The message was Zafar’s tribute for all women across the world.