ISLAMABAD- Pakistani actor-singer Meesha Shafi stirred up a hornet’s nestwhen she accused Ali Zafar of subjecting her to “sexual harassment of aphysical nature”. The allegations levelled by Meesha prompted a number ofwomen to open up about their own experiences of allegedly being sexuallyharassed by Ali, who, on his part, has categorically denied her claims.
In an interview with The News, Meesha elaborated on the two incidents whereAli allegedly behaved inappropriately with her. She said that when ithappened the first time, she “didn’t react and just left”. She also toldher husband to not do anything about it, as she and Ali were both publicfigures.
The second incident, she claimed, happened in a jam room. “I was jammingwith my band in Lahore and the organisers insisted that he was trying toget in touch. It started turning into a thing, and I was being seen asdifficult or a diva, I got such feelers. I was avoiding him. I was asked tojam, figure out songs, scale and it happened while we were jamming,” Meeshasaid.
However, these claims have been refuted by two women who were supposedlypresent at the jam session. Aqsa Ali took to social media to write that shewas shocked by Meesha’s allegations. “She said that her conscious (sic)doesn’t allow her to say quiet so mine also doesn’t allow me,” Aqsa wrote.
Aqsa said that she travels often with Ali, both internationally andlocally, and is witness to his “gentlemanly response” even when girls throwthemselves at him. “I was at this jam session becoz I sing in Ali’s bandand so was her manager and our entire band. I am astonished that she wouldtake a lie to this level which so many of us can prove wrong (sic),” shewrote.
“We all have pictures, we were there and event manager was there and it wasa gr8 jam session. I am a woman and I would never allow wrong to any woman.But come on, it’s a serious matter and we should be really clear oneverything rather then putting accusations on people and then saying sorryyou cannot question any woman it’s wrong,” Aqsa added, accusing Meesha of”causing disrespect” to the #MeToo movement. She also stood up for Ali,calling him a “genuine person who treats people around him nicely”.Aqsa Ali on Facebook
Kanza Ali wrote on social media that it was “rather odd” that Meeshaclaimed to be harassed by Ali at the jam session. “I stand witness to thisparticular ‘jam’ late last year that Meesha mentions in her interview withThe News. The whole house band along with myself and another fellow femalevocalist were present during this session and whatever interaction tookplace between the two was in front of at least 10 other people,” she wrote.
She went on to add that her experience of touring with Ali Zafar and hisband has been “really pleasant and professional” and that they have spenthours jamming together without any untoward incident. “It would be great ifthis important movement isn’t taken for granted or misused for personalreasons stealing limelight from real causes,” she wrote.Kanza Munir on Facebook
The jam session in question took place at Ali’s residence on December 21last year, and according to a source, “This was in the presence of hermanager, Ali’s manager, the event planner and 9 band members.” Two dayslater, on December 23, the concert was held.
“Meesha Shafi performed with Ali Zafar on stage on her own free will,” theinsider said, claiming that “she was hired to perform independently of Alias both did their separate performances first and only came together at theend to do a few songs. Her income or hiring for this show would have in noway been affected had she said she would not like to perform next to Ali”.
The source added that the event planner, Jalal Salahuddin can confirm this.”After the concert, Meesha proceeds to tweet a picture from the sameIslamabad concert on her official twitter account accompanied by thefollowing text: I guess I post slower than I travel and perform? Last nightin Islamabad crooning with @AliZafarSays #MeeshaShafiLIVE,” the source said.Meesha Shafi shared a picture from their concert on her Twitter account.The event planner, Jalal Salahuddin, shared Meesha Shafi’s post on Instagram
Meesha has not only been happily posing with Ali at events, but alsosharing pictures with him on her social media accounts, the insider said.When The News had asked Meesha about having several pictures with Ali, shehad said, “I have run into him, our pictures have been taken, at socialgatherings etc because it’s easier to to tell yourself to move on inwhatever way you can, you try.”Meesha Shafi’s selfie with Ali ZafarAli Zafar and Meesha Shafi have posed together at several eventsMeesha Shafi has credited Ali Zafar as the man behind the camera
The source also claimed that even after knowing about the allegedharassment, Meesha’s husband Mahmood Rahman “worked with Ali Zafar as asound engineer for Ali Zafar’s international concert on his own free will”.
Not just that, in February this year, Meesha and Ali crossed paths at aparty by an eminent fashion couturier in Lahore, the source said, claimingthat eyewitnessesses saw her “actively and openly chatting to and dancedwith Ali on her own accord (sic)”.
The source also cited the instance of Meesha’s former manager, FahadRehman, who went on record to say that Meesha “has the capability toblackmail and malign one’s reputation”.