LAHORE: A district and sessions court on Wednesday summoned singer Meesha Shafi for evidence in a defamation suit filed by fellow actor-cum-singer Ali Zafar, while a witness of the former recorded her statement alleging that she also faced sexual harassment at the hands of the latter.

At the outset of the hearing, Advocate Saqib Jillani told the court that actor Iffat Omar, a witness of Shafi, could not make it to Lahore due to unavoidable professional engagements in Karachi.

Zafar’s counsel Umar Tariq Gill raised an objection to continuous non-appearance of Ms Omar and also pointed out that the actor recently shared an “offensive” tweet against the plaintiff. He said Ms Omar wrote “shameful” on the news, though incorrect, about Zafar’s guest appearance in the theme song for a cricket team.

Shafi’s counsel said the court was already informed on the last hearing about the engagements of Ms Omar in Karachi. He said Ms Shafi, the defendant, was in Canada and she had previously come to Pakistan to record her statement before the court.

Judge directs Shafi to produce all witnesses for cross-examination on March 6

He said another witness, Leena Ghani, was present before the court to record her evidence.

Ms Ghani, a make-up artist by profession and a rights activist, said that on June 9, 2014 a friend of hers, Zara Shahjahan, was showcasing at a fashion show in London where Mr Zafar and his wife were also invited.

“We were on the red carpet and getting pictures taken. Right after the pictures were taken, as soon as we turned to go inside the event hall, Mr Ali Zafar put his hands around my shoulders without my consent,” she said and alleged that he said: “Leena, dekho baarish ho rahi hai, tumhe kissing karne ka dil chah raha hai. (Leena, look it’s raining outside, I want to kiss you).”

Ms Ghani said she was shocked and stunned, and asked Zafar to go kiss his wife.

Narrating another alleged incident of sexual harassment, she said that during the same trip in 2014, Zafar, at a dinner table, asked her whether she was a virgin. “I was shocked and could not believe what I just heard,” she said.

Ms Ghani said before she could say anything, Zafar himself said to her, “How could you be a virgin since you are a divorcee.”

On the same tour, the artist said she went to see her friends who were staying with Zafar and his family. She said Zafar opened the door and said to her: “Leena, if we were friends, we would be locked in the room.”

“I felt so petrified and scared that I left immediately,” she added.

Ms Ghani said she had told her friends, Zara Shahjahan and Ammara Hikmat, and her sister about the incidents. After the alleged incidents, she reduced her interaction with Zafar significantly and would meet him only at social gatherings where his wife would also be present. “I was still friends with his wife and have a lot of respect and sympathy with her,” she added.

Ghani said she got to know Ms Shafi in April 2018 when she tweeted against Zafar. Her initial reaction after learning about Shafi’s tweets was “Me too”.

“I totally believe Meesha that she is telling the truth and would have faced harassment from the plaintiff because the plaintiff has exhibited a pattern of behaviour with me and other women,” the witness claimed.

After disclosing the harassment incidents, Ghani said she faced threats of rape and death on social media by the fans and supporters of the plaintiff.

Zafar’s counsel would cross examine Ghani on subsequent hearings.

Additional District and Sessions Judge Azhar Iqbal Ranjha directed the defendant, Shafi, to produce all her witnesses for cross examination on March 6.

Published in Dawn, February 18th, 2021