LAHORE: A sessions court on Tuesday ordered singer Meesha Shafi to pay Rs5 million in damages to singer-actor Ali Zafar in a defamation case stemming from allegations of sexual harassment.
In a short order, the court held that Shafi’s social media post and her interview with Instep Today contained “false, defamatory and injurious imputations” against Ali Zafar. It noted that the allegations of physical sexual harassment were not proven to be true or made in the public interest, and therefore amounted to actionable defamation. The court ruled that Zafar was entitled to compensation for harm to his reputation, dignity and mental suffering.
However, the court observed that claims of special damages were not supported by sufficient evidence. As a result, it awarded Rs5 million as general damages, recoverable from Shafi. The order also permanently restrained her from repeating or publishing the allegations in any form of media, including print, electronic or social platforms.
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The verdict came a day after the court concluded hearings, signalling that a decision was imminent. Ali Zafar had filed the defamation suit in 2018, seeking Rs1 billion in damages, arguing that the allegations had damaged his public image and caused distress to his family. Shafi had accused him the same year of sexually harassing her on multiple occasions.
During final arguments, Ali Zafar’s counsel maintained the allegations were false and damaging, while Shafi’s lawyer urged dismissal, arguing she had consistently reported her claims and should not be penalised for voicing her grievance.
