Singer Meesha Shafi has filed an appeal in the Lahore High Court (LHC) against a trial court’s decision in the defamation case brought by singer Ali Zafar, seeking to have the damages order set aside.
The sessions court had earlier ruled in Ali Zafar’s favour, ordering Meesha Shafi to pay Rs5 million in damages.
According to reports, she has now formally challenged that verdict before a higher court.
In her appeal, Meesha Shafi argues that the court did not correctly assess the facts and law of the case. Her central argument is that the harassment allegations against Ali Zafar cannot be declared false until they receive a final decision on merit.
She further contends that since the original harassment case remains pending before the Supreme Court of Pakistan, the trial court’s decision to rule on the defamation matter was legally premature. She has asked the Lahore High Court to declare the trial court’s decision unlawful, set it aside, and annul the damages order.
The dispute dates back to April 2018, when Meesha Shafi publicly accused Ali Zafar of sexual harassment. Zafar denied the allegations and filed a defamation suit the same year.
On March 31, 2026, a Lahore sessions court ruled in his favour after eight years and 283 hearings, ordering Shafi to pay Rs5 million in damages and permanently restraining her from repeating the allegations.
