ISLAMABAD: A sessions court in Pakistan on Tuesday directed singer Meesha Shafi to pay Rs5 million [$17,923] to singer-cum-actor Ali Zafar in a defamation case, observing that she had made “false, defamatory and injurious” allegations of sexual harassment against him years earlier.
Shafi accused Zafar of subjecting her to “sexual harassment of a physical nature” on multiple occasions in a social media post in April 2018. Zafar has repeatedly denied the allegations and filed a Rs1 billion [$3.58 million] defamation suit against her in 2018, stating that Shafi’s claims had tarnished his image in public.
In a copy of the court’s order seen by Arab News, Justice Asif Hayat stated that Shafi’s social media post and her interview in Instep Today magazine published on Apr. 21, 2018, contained “false, defamatory and injurious imputations against the plaintiff.”
It noted that Shafi levelled allegations of sexual harassment constitute actionable defamation as she was unable to prove the allegations true or that they were made for “public good.”
“The plaintiff is held entitled to compensatory damages on account of injury to reputation, dignity and mental anguish,” the order reads.
“However, the claim of special damages has not been proved through cogent and reliable evidence. Accordingly, a sum of Rs5,000,000 [rupees five million] is awarded to the plaintiff as general damages only, recoverable from the defendant.”
The court in its order said it has “permanently restrained” Shafi from repeating, publishing or causing to be published the harassment allegations against Zafar in any form of media, whether it be on print, electronic or social media platforms.
Neither Zafar nor Shafi responded to the court order.
Shafi’s allegation was considered as the first and most prolific #MeToo moment in Pakistan when it was first made in 2018.
The #MeToo movement was sparked by Hollywood’s Harvey Weinstein scandal, leading to a wider push against sexual harassment in many countries around the world.
Pakistan’s society has been described as deeply patriarchal by rights organizations. Non-governmental organizations say large numbers of women face violence or sexual harassment.
