Singer cum actor Meesha Shafi on Friday appealed to the Supreme Court to overturn a Lahore High Court's (LHC) decision regarding the defamation case filed against her by Ali Zafar. The Teefa In Trouble star filed the case in June last year after Shafi accused him of sexual harassment. He also asked for damages worth Rs1 billion.
Shafi had petitioned in LHC asking the court to record the statements of Zafar's witnesses and to have them undergo cross-examination in separate hearings. Cross-examining the witnesses is the right of the other party, stated the petition filed by Shafi’s lawyer. Presenting a witness is the right of one party while cross-questioning it is the right of the other, the statement read further.
LHC denied the petition on the grounds that it was without merit as Shafi and her defense team knew the name of the witnesses and had adequate time to prepare cross-examination.
Shafi has challenged the ruling. The valuable right" of cross-examination must be "real, fair and reasonable" to the defendant, her appeal states.
Shafi accused Zafar of sexual misconduct on social media in April, 2018. "I have been subjected, on more than one occasion, to sexual harassment of a physical nature at the hands of a colleague from my industry: Ali Zafar. These incidences did not happen when I was young, or just entering the industry. This happened to me despite the fact that I am an empowered, accomplished woman who is known for speaking her mind! This happened to me as a mother of wo children," her post read.
Shafi had petitioned in LHC asking the court to record the statements of Zafar's witnesses and to have them undergo cross-examination in separate hearings. Cross-examining the witnesses is the right of the other party, stated the petition filed by Shafi’s lawyer. Presenting a witness is the right of one party while cross-questioning it is the right of the other, the statement read further.
LHC denied the petition on the grounds that it was without merit as Shafi and her defense team knew the name of the witnesses and had adequate time to prepare cross-examination.
Shafi has challenged the ruling. The valuable right" of cross-examination must be "real, fair and reasonable" to the defendant, her appeal states.
Shafi accused Zafar of sexual misconduct on social media in April, 2018. "I have been subjected, on more than one occasion, to sexual harassment of a physical nature at the hands of a colleague from my industry: Ali Zafar. These incidences did not happen when I was young, or just entering the industry. This happened to me despite the fact that I am an empowered, accomplished woman who is known for speaking her mind! This happened to me as a mother of wo children," her post read.