Supreme Court grants leave in Meesha Shafi’s workplace harassment case

The Supreme Court approved Meesha Shafi’s plea in the workplace harassment case against Ali Zafar on Monday.

The singer was granted leave by the court in her appeal against Zafar, meaning the court will be deliberating if Shafi’s accusations of sexual harassment should come under the workplace harassment law.

The Reluctant Fundamentalist actor’s appeal was earlier rejected by the Lahore High Court and Punjab ombudsperson, claiming that her allegations did not come under the workplace harassment law.

Supreme Court of Pakistan grants leave in @itsmeeshashafi case! Congrats to SC team Khuwaja Ahmad Hosain & @noorejazch 👏🏾👏🏾
Granting leave to appeal means SC has accepted to hear the case on legal points whether Meesha falls under the jurisdiction of Sexual Harassment Act.

— Nighat Dad (@nighatdad) January 11, 2021

The Punjab government as well as Zafar were issued notices by the court, as the judges ruled that there should be proper hearing of the points raised in the case.

Sending love and solidarity to @itsmeeshashafi, Leena Ghani and the women who are being sued by actor Ali Zafar (under a law under law meant to protect women) after they said he had sexually assaulted and harassed them https://t.co/JDv7cht3kX #Pakistan

— Mona Eltahawy (@monaeltahawy) January 4, 2021

‘Chorr andhair aagay thandi chaoon,
Gul-e-ajar kee mein kya batlaoon?’

– Amrit

Stay in the dark.. or let the light in?
No matter the optics,
Liberation comes from within 🙏🏼 pic.twitter.com/nA8DWWx1N4

— MEESHA SHAFI (@itsmeeshashafi) January 11, 2021

Supreme Court accepts Meesha Shafi’s petition against the Lahore High Court’s order in the sexual harassment case against Ali Zafar. More power to #metoo victims who refuse to be bullied and silenced. https://t.co/PNS05AkAB8

— Naila Inayat (@nailainayat) January 11, 2021

Earlier in 2019, Shafi’s appeal was dismissed by the Lahore High Court on the basis that she and her alleged harasser did not have “an employer-employee” relationship.

Back in April 2018, Shafi turned to her social media and publicly accused Zafar of sexually harassing her on more than one occasion. Zafar denied the allegations and filed a defamation suit against Shafi.