Ali Zafar defamation case: Meesha Shafi admits giving false statement

LAHORE: Singer Meesha Shafi, who accused actor-cum-singer Ali Zafar of sexual harassment, has admitted giving a false statement during media talk as the proceeding of defamation case resumed in a Lahore sessions court, ARY News reported on Thursday.

The female singer was cross-examined via video link as Additional Sessions Judge Khan Mahmood heard the defamation case – filed by Ali Zafar.

Zafar was also physically present in the court during the hearing.

During the hearing, the petitioner’s lawyer, Advocate Tariq Gul, questioned Shafi about the evidence of sexual harassment she submitted in the court. The evidence was a photo of both singers together which the female singer had herself uploaded on Facebook.

The lawyer argued that the picture could not be considered as evidence of sexual harassment because she was the one who uploaded it with a caption “tonight we party”.

To which, the female singer said she didn’t remember the picture and would have to see it to comment further and then, she was shown the photo.

Ms. Shafi claimed she felt harassed while taking this picture with Ali Zafar. However, she later goes on to post this picture on her own Facebook along with the caption “tonight we party…”She tried to deny that she didn’t but admitted after confronted with her own FB account. pic.twitter.com/kGCFQZ9Mdm

— M. Umer Tariq Gill (@UmerTariq_Gill) February 23, 2023

Zafar’s lawyer further asked Meesha about her claim that the court never summoned her. The lawyer noted that the female singer made a ‘deliberate misrepresentation’ of court order. Meesha Shafi responded that it was a ‘slip of tongue’.

After hearing arguments, the court ordered that the cross-examination of Shafi would continue on March 1.

It is pertinent to mention here that Ali Zafar has denied the allegations of sexual harassment and filed a defamation suit against Meesha Shafi.