In the defamation suit filed against Meesha Shafi, Zafar concluded his testimony after a three day long cross examination in Lahore’s district court.
“Why do you think these people would conspire against you?” asked Shafi’s council Saqib Jillani, to which Zafar presented overwhelming evidence including chats, messages and pictures to prove his stance that Meesha Shafi’s allegations of harassment against him were in fact part of a criminal conspiracy to defame him planned by a closely associated group of people all working towards a common goal and agenda.
He further produced documentary evidence of each one’s conversations and association with Shafi’s lawyer Nighat Dad, who is also an activist and organiser of Aurat March.
In a media talk outside the courtroom after the completion of his testimony, Zafar also explained his FIA case against all the fake accounts, baseless allegations and smear campaign launched against him on social media simultaneously at the time of Shafi’s allegation.
“There is a difference between having an opinion and leveling an accusation against someone on social media.” He explained. “It’s a crime punishable by law with up to three years of jail to accuse or post defamatory content against anyone on social media without proof.” He said that he believed that as a role model it was his duty to inspire and educate people and that one must never succumb to any pressure, oppression or injustice when one is in the right.”
Prior to Zafar, 12 eye witnesses including three women testified in the court under oath that the alleged harassment did not take place and in fact Ms Shafi was seen being overtly friendly with Mr. Zafar on several occasions.
Guitarist Asad Ahmed, bass player Muhammad Ali, drummer Qaisar Zain, backing vocalists Aqsa Ali and Kinza Muneer, saxophone player Muhammad Taqi, percussionist Kashif Chaman, flute player Baqir Abbas and keyboard player Joshua Keith appeared in court as eyewitnesses at the jamming session during which Shafi has claimed she was harassed.
Kinza Muneer in her testimony before the court said that Shafi was lying and that nothing happened at the jam session.
Another eye witness Aqsa said that both singers were standing four to five feet apart from each other during the jam session and that nothing of that sort could have gone unnoticed in front of so many people in close confines in such a well lit room.
“Meesha hugged Zafar when she arrived and before leaving his residence, and is clearly lying about being sexually harassed” the female witness said.
During cross-examination, drummer Qaiser testified that he was stationed right behind the singers during the jam and would have easily noticed if anything had transpired. Ahmed and other witnesses also echoed Qaiser’s and Aqsa’s statements and said they were watching both singers closely during the rehearsal.
Sara Razee, a childhood friend of singer Shafi also recorded her statement and refuted Meesha Shafi’s allegations. Ms Razee testified before the court that she saw Shafi enthusiastically greet Zafar after the alleged incident took place at a party at a designer’s house in Lahore.
“I remember we were upstairs at HSY’s house and there was a sofa bench splitting his lounge into two. There were people on both sides of the sofa. I remember distinctly Meesha jumped over the sofa in excitement to meet Ali and there was no awkwardness between them.” She added that she knew Meesha from childhood and she was a very emancipated and strong woman and would never have behaved this way with her harasser.
Earlier Rizwan Raees who had managed both Meesha and Ali Zafar in the past testified that Meesha had pressurized Pepsi to remove Ali Zafar from a big contract.
Another one of Meesha’s former managers Fahad Rehman had earlier spoken out about her habitual blackmailing. “Now I don’t know what happened between Ali and her, but what i do know is that she has the capability to blackmail and malign ones reputation. Without hard evidence, I would take everything she says with a ton of salt.”
Additional District and Sessions Judge Amjad Ali Shah adjourned the hearing for Oct 7 and summoned the defendant Meesha Shafi’s witnesses.