Singer Meesha Shafi and her witnesses are summoned by the court on Monday, September 28, 2020, for their cross-examination in Rs1 billion defamation suit filed by fellow singer Ali Zafar.

Additional District and Sessions Judge Muhammad Yasar Hayat resumed the hearing into the case this week but Meesha Shafi’s senior counsel and witnesses didn’t appear in the court.

A junior counsel informed the court that the counsel of Ms Shafi was at Islamabad and sought the adjournment.

Ali Zafar’s lawyer raised the objection that the examination-in-chiefs of defendant’s four witnesses (namely Meesha Shafi, her mother Saba Hameed, manager Farhan Ali and actress Iffat Omar) were recorded many months ago but they were not produced for cross-examination.

After hearing, the court directed Meesha’s counsel to produce the above mentioned four witnesses for their cross-examination on next date i.e. Sept 28.    

This defamation suit had been filed by singer Ali Zafar more than two years ago in June 2018 against Meesha claiming that she ruined his reputation by making a false allegation of harassment

The court had already recorded the evidence of Ali Zafar and his 11 witnesses.

In a tweet, Barrister Ambreen Qureshi, a lawyer of Ali Zafar, said that “defamation case against Meesha Shafi finally resumed in court after months. However, no witnesses were produced by the defendant. And Adjournment was sought by opposite counsel.”

She posted the court order, mentioning that the judge had ordered them (Ms. Shafi’s and her lawyer) to produce witnesses for cross-examination on the next date of hearing on 28th.

https://twitter.com/ambreenqureshi/status/1306253528722059267