May 5, 2026
By Aitzaz Ibrahim
LAHORE
The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday partially suspended trial court judgment in the defamation case filed by singer and actor Ali Zafar against Meesha Shafi, granting interim relief only in relation to the payment of damages while maintaining the remaining findings of the trial court.
The court suspended the damages portion of the decision on the condition that Rs2.5 million be deposited in cash with the court, while a surety bond of Rs2.5 million would also be furnished for the remaining amount. The total awarded damages of Rs5 million will remain under the custody and supervision of the court until a final decision is taken on the appeal.
However, the bench ordered that all other parts of the trial court’s judgment, including the restraining order preventing Meesha Shafi from repeating the allegations, will remain in force unless set aside in appeal.
The appeal was heard by a two-member bench comprising Justice Ahmad Nadeem Arshad and Justice Malik Waqar Haider Awan. During the hearing, Shafi’s counsel, Saqib Jillani, argued that the trial court’s decision was not legally sustainable and requested suspension of the entire judgment. He also offered to deposit one-third of the awarded damages as interim relief.
The bench initially declined the request for partial payment and directed that the full amount be deposited. However, after further arguments, the court modified its earlier stance and allowed partial suspension of the damages subject to the deposit and surety conditions.
Speaking to Voicepk, Shafi’s counsel, Saqib Jillani, said that the trial court’s judgment was not based on a proper appreciation of evidence.
“The decision contains several legal and factual errors. It does not correctly apply the principles of defamation law and ignores key material on record,” he said. He added that the appeal had been filed to seek a full review of the trial court’s findings, which he described as “legally flawed.”
On the other hand, counsel for Ali Zafar, Umar Tariq Gill, maintained that the trial court had reached its decision after a detailed examination of evidence and witness statements. He said that the suspension of damages was a routine interim measure in civil cases where monetary decrees are challenged in appeal.
“The trial court has already recorded clear findings after a full trial. Those findings have not been disturbed by the High Court. Only the execution of damages has been temporarily adjusted under standard legal procedure,” he said.
Gill further stated that the restriction on repeating allegations remains an important part of the trial court judgment and continues to be valid unless set aside by a higher court.
The defamation case originates from allegations of sexual harassment made in 2018 by singer Meesha Shafi against actor Ali Zafar. Following these allegations, Ali Zafar filed a defamation suit, claiming that the statements had damaged his reputation and were false.
In March 2026, a sessions court ruled in favour of Ali Zafar and ordered Meesha Shafi to pay Rs5 million in damages. The trial court observed that the allegations “had not been proved to be true or made for public good, and thus constitute actionable defamation.” The court also restrained Shafi from repeating the allegations.
Following the verdict, Meesha Shafi filed an appeal before the Lahore High Court, requesting suspension of the judgment until the final outcome of the case. The appeal is currently under consideration.
Before the defamation proceedings, Meesha Shafi had also pursued a complaint under workplace harassment laws before the Punjab ombudsperson regarding her allegations. That complaint was dismissed on the basis that she did not fall within the legal definition of an employee under the relevant law.
She subsequently challenged that decision before the Governor of Punjab and later before the Lahore High Court, however, those petitions were also dismissed. She later approached the Supreme Court, where leave to appeal was granted in 2021. That matter remains pending.