Singer-actor Ali Zafar has publicly declared the legal chapter closed after a Lahore court ruled in his favor on March 31, 2026, in a high-profile defamation case against fellow artist Meesha Shafi — an eight-year legal battle stemming from her 2018 #MeToo allegations.
In an Instagram post the other day, Zafar expressed gratitude and humility, calling the verdict a closure “with grace.”
The Additional Sessions Judge Asif Hayat ordered Shafi to pay Rs.5 million in damages and issued a permanent injunction barring her from republishing the 2018 allegations, which the court deemed unsubstantiated and defamatory. The case, which included 284 hearings and 20 witnesses, saw multiple appeals — including a Supreme Court review in 2021 — all ultimately upholding the original gag order issued in 2019.
Shafi, in her own Instagram response, avoided direct commentary on the verdict or damages, instead sharing poetic reflections on resilience: “Not every victory comes in the form of a court order. When a woman finds courage, that is a victory.” She added, “This was not a loss, this was history.” The ruling marks a pivotal moment in Pakistan’s ongoing discourse on public accountability, free speech, and the legal boundaries of social media accusations.
