The Supreme Court (SC) of Pakistan on Monday approved Meesha Shafi’s harassment case against Ali Zafar for hearing. As per details, Pakistan’s top court granted leave to Shafi in her harassment case against Ali Zafar. This means that the SC has granted permission to hear the appeal based on its legal points and will deliberate whether Shafi’s accusations of sexual harassment come under the workplace harassment law.
Furthermore, notices were issued to respondents Zafar and the Punjab Government by a three-judge bench of the apex court led by Justice Mushir Alam.
Meesha explained that the legal issue has never before been decided by the SC.
Meesha was represented by senior lawyer Khawaja Ahmad Hosain and Noor Ejaz Chaudhry.
The singer’s appeal was earlier rejected by the Lahore High Court (LHC) and Punjab ombudsperson, who ruled that her allegations did not come under the workplace harassment law.
On Sunday, Meesha had informed her fans and followers that the Supreme Court was to hear her appeal on whether a ‘self-employed person’ has the “right, as per the law, to be heard after being harassed and therefore expect justice on merit as an equal citizen”. She had thanked her well-wishers for standing by her and for making her feel “less alone”.
Read more – ‘You don’t want change’: Meesha Shafi condemns critics of #MeToo
Meanwhile, Twitter lauded the SC’s order, terming it a landmark move.
Background of the case
In 2018, Meesha first came forward with allegations of sexual harassment against Ali Zafar. She later filed a complaint with the provincial ombudsperson. After her appeal was rejected, she approached Governor Punjab, who upheld the ombudsperson’s decision. Meesha then challenged the Governor’s decision in Lahore High Court which again dismissed Meesha’s case for hearing on grounds that she did not have an employer-employee relationship with the accused.
