Meesha Shafi Gets Partial Stay on PKR 5M Damages in Ali Zafar Case

Misha Shafi and Ali Zafar rivalry started in 2018, when Misha Shafi had accused Ali Zafar of sexually harassing her on more than one occasion. Afterward, Zafar filed a defamation case against her, saying that Shafi’s allegations stained his image in public. In the defamation suit, Zafar asked the court to issue a verdict against Shafi and direct her to pay Rs1 billion in damages.

In March, a Lahore sessions court ruled in Ali Zafar’s favor, and had ordered Shafi to pay Rs5m in damages for making harassment allegations against Zafar, holding that the accusations were not made in the public interest.

Justice Ahmad Nadeem Arshad heard Shafi’s appeal challenging the sessions court’s decision, which had awarded Rs5 million in damages to Zafar in the defamation suit filed over the allegations.

At the Monday hiring in The Lahore High Court, Shafi’s counsel Saqib Jillani requested suspension of the impugned judgment and offered to deposit one-third of the amount in cash. The bench initially declined the request for partial payment and directed that the full amount be deposited. Later, on a further request, the court ordered Shafi to deposit Rs2.5m in cash and submit a surety bond for the remaining Rs2.5m.

The court issued a notice to Ali Zafar on Meesha Shafi’s appeal and also sought a response.

On the other hand, the court rejected the request of Meesha Shafi’s lawyer to suspend the entire decision of the trial court.

The court said that the trial court in its decision has prevented Meesha Shafi from making sexual harassment allegations again, this decision of the trial court cannot be suspended, no one can be allowed to make sexual harassment allegations.