The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has convicted singer Meesha Shafi and eight others in the defamation suit filed by singer Ali Zafar and has requested the trial court to take necessary action. According to Dawn News, the FIA has ??issued an interim challan in the case filed by the Channo singer in the special court of Lahore Central on December 15. The notice states that according to the oral and documentary evidence provided in the ??investigation, Meesha Shafi, Iffat Omar, Mahim Javed, Lena Ghani, Haseem Zaman, Fareeha Ayub, Syed Faizan Raza, Hamna Raza and Ali Gul Pir have been found guilty. It did, however, mention that no action will be taken against Raza, who issued a public apology previously. Twitter has been abuzz with mixed reactions regarding the Zafar-Shafi longstanding legal tussle. Here is what the internet thinks:
https://twitter.com/Karachiabad/status/1339091470406578178
Congratulations to Ali Zafar ?
— Scintillating Gul (@SaysSGul) December 16, 2020
Ali Zafar was being devoid of from his projects estimating 100 million pkr and other advertisements and meesha shafi is getting songs in coke studio and velosound
— Usman (@androidzee) December 16, 2020
Why did Velo and Coke Sodio give Mesha Shafi a chance?While Pepsi did not give Ali Zafar a chance during this matter. Disconnect Masha Shafi from the music industry.Amd govt should take action against this kind of women like mesha, and that woman who did the same with babar Azam. pic.twitter.com/fzIkdWXELz
— Isha Bhutto???? (@geminiishaa) December 16, 2020
“Ms Shafi posted defamatory and false allegations of sexual harassment against Ali Zafar on April 19, 2018 but she failed to produce any witnesses before it in favour of her allegations" says FIA
— Mawish Moulvi (@mawish_m) December 16, 2020
Here, the rights of women are talked but the honor of the man is never talked about. Who will take a sound against this false woman? Where are the human rights organizations whose condemned this lady false accused to Ali Zafar. https://t.co/LZwGb7aZyE
— Muhammad Nouman Awan (@maliknoumannaza) December 16, 2020
“Why isn’t @itsmeeshashaficancelled? The FIA has found that her allegations were fabricated & false. Yet she is the number one thing on YouTube PK right now! Just because she is privileged doesn’t mean she can get away with false stories,” posted a user. “Congratulations to Ali Zafar,” added another alongside a heart emoji. Some expressed shock over Zafar being cancelled from several campaigns while Shafi was made a part of Coke Studio and Velo Sound Station. Ali Zafar was being devoid of from his projects estimating Rs100 million and other advertisements and Meesha Shafi is getting songs in Coke Studio and Velo Sound,” read a post on the micro-blogging platform. Calling out the music platforms, another tweet questioned, “Why did Velo and Coke Sodio give Mesha Shafi a chance? Pepsi did not give Ali Zafar a chance during this matter. Disconnect Masha Shafi from the music industry. And the government should take action against these kinds of women.” Stating the facts, another penned, “Ms Shafi posted defamatory and false allegations of sexual harassment against Ali Zafar on April 19, 2018 but she failed to produce any witnesses before it in favour of her allegations, says FIA.” A social media post added, “Here, the rights of women are talked but the honor of the man is never talked about. Who will take a sound against this false woman? Where are the human rights organizations whose condemned this lady false accused to Ali Zafar.”
THIS IS NOT THE END OF METOO IN PAKISTAN. REPEAT AFTER ME.
YOU CANNOT & I REPEAT CAN NEVER PROVIDE EVIDENCE OF HARASSMENT specially if it is GROPING OR TOUCH.
HOW COULD YOU? Unless filmed.
Ali Zafar STANDS CANCELLED.
Period.— Basmati sirf ?? ka (@hinasafi) December 16, 2020
#AliZafar‘s dirty PR machinery at it again… tricking people into thinking it was somehow a judicial verdict! It’s the courts that declare innocent or guilty, NOT an investigation body! #MeeshaShafi #MeToo pic.twitter.com/XiMC9MkQGb
— Muhammad Farhan ?????????? (@FarhanJanjua) December 16, 2020
I believe Meesha Shafi
I believe Meesha Shafi
I believe Meesha Shafi
I believe Meesha Shafi
I believe Meesha Shafi
I believe Meesha Shafi
I believe Meesha Shafi
I believe Meesha Shafi
I believe Meesha Shafi
I believe Meesha Shafi
I believe Meesha Shafi
— Anam Rathor ? (@AnamRathor) December 16, 2020
Others, however lent support to Shafi. “This is not the end of MeToo in Pakistan. Repeat after me. You cannot and I repeat can never provide evidence of harassment specially if it is groping or touching. How could you? Unless filmed. Ali Zafar stands cancelled. Period,” remarked a user. Another stated, “#AliZafar’s PR machinery at it again. Tricking people into thinking it was somehow a judicial verdict! It’s the courts that declare innocent or guilty, not an investigation body!” One user posted “I believe Meesha Shafi” several times on their Twitter handle.
The interim challan issued by the FIA noted that Shafi failed to present substantial evidence for the allegations of sexual harassment she levelled against Ali Zafar on social media on April 9, 2018. It added that Shafi’s supposed witnesses also failed to provide concrete proof related to their claims, on the basis of which a court order was filed in September this year against all of them under the Section (1) 20 of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PICA) 2016. The court has now been asked to take further legal action against Shafi and the others.
In November 2018, Zafar had lodged a complaint with the FIA ??Cyber ??Crime Wing in which he claimed that several social media accounts were posting insulting and threatening material against him and his family. He also provided details of his Twitter and Facebook accounts in support of his claim. He had told the FIA ? that a fake Twitter account in the name of Neha Saigol had posted close to 3,000 tweets maligning him and his wife. Apart from the case, a Rs 1 billion defamation suit filed by Zafar against Shafi is also pending in the Lahore Sessions Court. The next hearing for the same is slated to be held on December 21.
