Web Desk: Singer Meesha Shafi has challenged a trial court ruling in a defamation case filed by fellow musician Ali Zafar, seeking to overturn a damages order issued against her, according to a court filing.
Shafi moved the Lahore High Court against a decision of a lower court that had ruled in favour of Zafar in the high-profile defamation dispute. In her appeal, she asked the court to set aside the order directing her to pay damages.
She raised multiple legal objections, arguing that the trial court did not properly assess the facts and applicable law while issuing its verdict.
In her petition, Shafi maintained that allegations of sexual harassment could not be declared false until a final determination on their merits is reached.
Moreover, she stated that the underlying harassment case remains pending before the Supreme Court of Pakistan. Therefore, she argued that deciding the defamation matter at this stage was premature and legally flawed.
Previously, a sessions court acting as a trial court had ruled in favour of Ali Zafar and directed Meesha Shafi to pay substantial damages in the defamation case.
Consequently, Shafi has now escalated the matter to the higher judiciary, asking the Lahore High Court to declare the earlier judgment unlawful and nullify the damages order.
The case forms part of a prolonged legal dispute between the two artists that has remained in Pakistan’s courts for several years, drawing widespread public and media attention.
The Lahore High Court is expected to review the admissibility of the appeal before proceeding further.
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