According to media reports, the FIR was filed for a non-cognisable offence on the order of the FIA special court.
Those booked by the FIA include Shafi, actor-host Iffat Omar, activist Leena Ghani, Fariha Ayub, journalist Maham Javaid, Ali Gul, Haseemuz Zaman Khan, Humna Raza and Syed Faizan Raza. All of them have been booked under section 20 (1) of Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016 and R/W 109-PPC.
Ali Zafar, in 2018 had filed a complaint with FIA cyber crime wing. He alleged that various Twitter and Facebook accounts were spreading incorrect and defamatory remarks about him. To support his claim he provided details of some Twitter and Facebook accounts. According to the singer, all these accounts were created to start a hate campaign against him before Meesha Shafi's sexual harassment allegations against him. He alleges these fake accounts are all linked to Meesha Shafi, a claim denied by them.
Activists have condemned the cases and said that the development would set a wrong precedent which will discourage the survivors of sexual harassment from coming forward with complaints.