LAHORE: Singer Meesha Shafi has filed an appeal in the Lahore High Court challenging a civil court’s decision that directed her to pay Rs5 million in damages to fellow singer and actor Ali Zafar in a defamation case linked to sexual harassment allegations.
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The appeal, filed through Advocate Saqib Jilani, argues that the trial court erred in both legal interpretation and factual assessment while deciding the matter. It maintains that the court issued its ruling despite the underlying sexual harassment allegations not being adjudicated on merit.
According to the petition, Shafi’s complaint remains pending before the Supreme Court, which had granted leave in January 2021. The appeal further states that earlier forums, including the ombudsperson, the governor, and the high court, dismissed related proceedings on jurisdictional grounds rather than factual findings.
Shafi’s legal team argues that her complaint was a lawful exercise of legal rights and is protected under qualified privilege, which should negate defamation liability. It further claims that the trial court failed to properly evaluate evidence and misapplied the standard of “preponderance of probabilities.”
The appeal also contends that Ali Zafar did not meet the legal threshold under Section 3 of the Defamation Ordinance 2002, which requires proving that the statements in question were false. It argues that an unproven allegation cannot automatically be treated as false under established legal precedent.
Additionally, the petition criticizes the trial court for relying on assumptions about victim behavior in harassment cases and for disregarding legal principles regarding evidentiary standards, including the credibility of a complainant’s statement when supported by circumstances.
It also disputes the inference drawn from continued professional or social interactions between the parties, arguing that such conduct does not negate harassment claims, particularly in sensitive cases.
On March 31, 2026, an additional district and sessions judge ruled in favor of Ali Zafar, stating that Shafi failed to provide sufficient, reliable, and independent evidence to substantiate her allegations.
Shafi had publicly accused Zafar of sexual harassment on social media in 2018, after which Zafar filed a defamation suit seeking damages of Rs1 billion, citing harm to his reputation and distress caused to his family.
