Lahore High Court Upholds Gag Order on Meesha Shafi

Lahore (Web Desk) – The Lahore High Court has upheld a trial court order restraining singer Meesha Shafi from making any public statements regarding her sexual harassment allegations against actor and singer Ali Zafar until the defamation suit between them is resolved.

Justice Ahmad Nadeem Arshad, in a written judgment issued Tuesday, emphasized that the truth or falsity of the claims could not be established without proper evidence. He noted that repeated public commentary while the case is pending risks turning the matter into a “parallel media trial,” which is neither permissible nor desirable in the interest of justice and fair adjudication.

The High Court dismissed Shafi’s petition challenging the gag order imposed by the trial court on January 24, 2019, maintaining the restriction on her speech for the duration of the proceedings. Ali Zafar had filed the defamation suit claiming that Shafi’s sexual harassment allegations were false and had severely damaged his reputation.

The court observed that reputational harm, once inflicted, cannot be fully remedied through monetary compensation, particularly for a public figure whose livelihood depends on public trust and perception. Justice Arshad noted that the allegations, if proven untrue, directly strike at Zafar’s dignity, honour, and professional credibility.

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While restraining Shafi from commenting on the matter temporarily, the court clarified that the restriction is limited and contingent on the outcome of the defamation suit. The judge also rejected arguments that the gag order violated freedom of expression, highlighting that such freedoms are subject to reasonable restrictions that must be balanced against the right to dignity.

The judgment relied on the principles established in Bonnard v. Perryman (1981), affirming that interim injunctions barring public statements in defamation cases are justified to prevent irreparable harm. Justice Arshad directed the trial court to expedite the defamation suit, preferably deciding it within 30 days.

Ali Zafar’s lawsuit alleges that Shafi’s April 19, 2018, Twitter (now X) post contained baseless harassment allegations. Despite a legal notice, she neither deleted the post nor issued an apology, prompting Zafar to seek Rs1 billion in damages.