While recording her statement during cross examination, singer Meesha Shafi said that she chose to speak up about the sexual harassment she allegedly faced at the hands of fellow singer Ali Zafar because she saw no way to resolve the issue privately.
Meesha Shafi told the court, “… it became clear to me that this matter was not being resolved privately.”
When asked about what a private resolution would look like, she stated that she expected a safe working environment and an acknowledgement or apology from Zafar for his previous behavior.
Ali Zafar filed a suit against Meesha Shafi, claiming that her allegations of his misbehavior had negatively impacted his public image and caused his family distress, seeking Rs.1bn in damages.
Meesha Shafi explained that she posted the now infamous tweets alleging Zafar’s harassment on April 19, 2018 because she was being forced to record a show with the plaintiff, despite her stated discomfort at working with her alleged abuser.
Regarding Zafar’s reputation after the allegations, Shafi noted that Zafar’s film, “Teefa in Trouble” had generated record-breaking revenue for the artist, and he had been nominated as an ambassador for the National University of Modern Languages (NUML) by Prime Minister Imran Khan.
She reported earning approximately Rs.3.5 million in 2021 and becoming a permanent resident of Canada in 2016.
Shafi has a pending complaint against cyberbullying and harassment which is still pending with the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).
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