LHC Orders Trial Court to Conclude Ali Zafar–Meesha Shafi Defamation Case Within 30 Days

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Tuesday directed the trial court to conclude the long-running defamation case filed by singer Ali Zafar against actress and singer Meesha Shafi within 30 days, in a significant judicial move.

Justice Ahmed Nadeem Arshad dismissed a petition filed by Shafi challenging the trial court’s earlier order that restrained her from making public statements about the case until its final disposal. The LHC upheld the lower court’s directive, calling it lawful and necessary to protect fair trial rights.

While acknowledging that freedom of expression is a fundamental right, the court emphasised that such freedoms must be carefully balanced against the need to ensure impartial legal proceedings. The verdict clarified that the restriction on statements by the parties will remain in force until the trial concludes.

During the hearing, counsel for Meesha Shafi argued against the imposition of an injunction in defamation matters. However, the court rejected this argument, affirming that restraining public commentary is within the judiciary’s powers when required to safeguard due process.

The case dates back to 2018, when Ali Zafar filed a defamation suit against Meesha Shafi following her allegations of sexual harassment. Represented by lawyer Rana Intizar, Zafar sought Rs1 billion in damages, asserting that Shafi’s claims had severely tarnished his reputation and professional standing.

Intizar argued in court that Shafi’s accusations were “baseless,” and urged the judiciary to compel her to issue an unconditional apology and to grant monetary relief.

According to the petition, Zafar’s legal team had previously notified Shafi that her April 19, 2018 tweets were “false, slanderous and defamatory,” causing substantial harm to the singer’s reputation, goodwill and livelihood.

The trial court initially imposed the gag order on January 24, 2019. Shafi later challenged this order at the LHC, a plea that has now been dismissed.

In a related development in 2021, the Supreme Court accepted Shafi’s petition against the LHC’s preliminary hearing directive. After hearing the arguments, the apex court remarked that the issues raised required careful consideration and consolidated the matter with suo motu proceedings on defining sexual harassment law. That hearing was subsequently adjourned indefinitely.

With the LHC’s latest ruling, both parties now await a definitive judgment within the next month.