The Lahore High Court (LHC) has granted partial relief to singer Meesha Shafi by conditionally suspending a trial court’s decision that had ordered her to pay Rs 5 million in damages in a defamation case filed by singer-actor Ali Zafar.

A two-member bench headed by Justice Ahmad Nadeem Arshad, along with Justice Malik Waqar Haider Awan, heard Shafi’s appeal against the March 31 verdict of the sessions court.

During the hearing, Shafi’s counsel requested suspension of the judgment and initially proposed depositing one-third of the awarded amount. However, the bench directed her to deposit Rs 2.5 million in cash as security while also submitting a surety bond for the remaining Rs 2.5 million.

The court partially suspended the execution of the damages award, providing interim relief to the appellant. However, it clearly maintained that the restriction imposed by the trial court—barring Shafi from repeating or publishing harassment allegations against Ali Zafar—will remain fully in place.

The bench also rejected a complete suspension of the judgment, observing that the trial court’s decision cannot be fully set aside at this stage. It further emphasized that allegations of sexual harassment cannot be made publicly without legal consequence.

A formal notice was issued to Ali Zafar on Shafi’s appeal, and the hearing was adjourned.

Earlier, the sessions court had ruled that Shafi’s allegations of sexual harassment were not made in the public interest and ordered her to pay Rs 5 million in damages, along with a permanent injunction restraining her from repeating the accusations in any form of media.

The legal dispute between the two artists dates back to 2018, when Meesha Shafi publicly accused Ali Zafar of harassment. In response, Zafar filed a defamation suit seeking Rs 1 billion in damages, claiming his reputation was severely harmed by the allegations.

The case remains ongoing as higher court proceedings continue.

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