SC directs no more unnecessary adjournments in Meesha Shafi, Ali Zafar case

ISLAMABAD: The defamation suit filed by Ali Zafar against Meesha Shafi is likely to conclude soon, as the Supreme Court of Pakistan on Tuesday issued directives to the trial court that no unnecessary adjournments be granted and that the suit be concluded within the time period stipulated by the Lahore High Court earlier in April i.e. 90 days.

A two-member bench headed by Justice Mushir Alam also passed a consent order that affidavits of witnesses number 2 to 8 be filed within seven days by the lawyers of Ali Zafar with an advance copy to the legal team of Meesha Shafi, who will take seven days for preparation and thereafter all these witnesses would be produced together and cross-examined by them on the same day or the next days to follow.

The apex court also restrained Ali Zafar and Meesha Shafi from filing unnecessary applications.

The defamation suit filed by Ali Zafar against Meesha Shafi has been pending in the trial court since June last year. Ali Zafar’s witnesses appeared more than ten times before the trial court. However, only two witnesses including a woman – who were present at the jam session where singer Meesha Shafi alleges the harassment took place – have recorded their statements in the trial court in the defamation suit.

While Meesha’s legal team opposed the idea of recording witnesses, esteemed flute player Baqir Abbas and singer Kinza Munir gave their testimony under oath at the trial court that no such event as Meesha claims transpired at the said jamming session.

Kinza Munir also branded Meesha’s statement as “false”, saying that there were 10-11 people present at the jam.

Meesha Shafi had also filed a complaint with the provincial ombudsperson against Ali Zafar for sexual harassment which was dismissed.

Later, her appeal to the Governor of Punjab against the ombudsperson's orders was also rejected in July last year as Meesha had never been an employee of Ali Zafar.