The Lahore High Court (LHC) has conditionally suspended the Rs5 million damages verdict against Meesha Shafi in a defamation case.
Lahore’s sessions court on March 31 ruled in favour of Zafar in a defamation case, ordering Meesha to pay Rs5 million in damages.
Meesha Shafi later challenged the sessions court verdict in the Lahore High Court. Through her lawyer, she argued that the trial court made an error.
She said the court ruled she failed to prove her claims, but it did not ask Ali Zafar to prove that no harassment took place.
Justice Ahmad Nadeem Arshad heard the appeal. Advocate Saqib Jillani appeared on behalf of Meesha Shafi. The court, however, rejected the request to fully suspend the trial court’s judgment.
During the hearing, the judge observed that the trial court had restrained Meesha Shafi from repeating allegations of sexual harassment.
He remarked that this part of the order could not be suspended, adding that no one can be allowed to level such allegations.
In her appeal, Meesha Shafi argued that the sessions court had ruled in favour of Ali Zafar and ordered her to pay Rs5 million in damages.
The court directed Meesha Shafi to deposit half of the penalty amount with the high court, while submitting a surety bond for the remaining sum.
Notices were also issued to Ali Zafar, seeking his response.
It is pertinent to mention that the sessions court had earlier ruled in favour of Ali Zafar, directing Meesha Shafi to pay Rs5 million in damages, against which she filed an appeal before the high court.
Ali Zafar filed a Rs1 billion defamation claim against Meesha Shafi after she accused him of sexual harassment. The case has continued for more than eight years.
Ali Zafar opens up after winning defamation case against Meesha Shafi.
