*LAHORE: Renowned Pakistani singer Ali Zafar has taken **fellow singerMeesha Shafi to a court for levelling what he said baseless allegations ofsexual harassment against him.*
The singer-cum-actor filed a defamation suit in a Lahore court through hislawyer, requesting it to direct Ms Shafi to tender an apology overlevelling baseless allegations and pay Rs1 billion in damages*.*
Earlier, he had sent a legal notice to the female singer days after thelatter accused him of sexually harassing her on multiple occasions*.*
In a post shared on micro-blogging site Twitter, Meesha Shafi claimed shehad been subjected to sexual harassment “of a physical nature” by Ali Zafaron multiple occasions.
The singer-cum-actress used the hashtag #MeToo to link it with aninternational movement against sexual harassment and assault.
In his first response to allegations leveled by Meesha Shafi, Ali Zafar hadcategorically denied all the allegations but had announced to take thematter to courts of law.
He had said that he is deeply aware and in support of the global #MeToomovement and what it stands for but “contesting personal vendettas onsocial media” is tantamount to disrespecting the movement, his family, theshowbiz industry and his fans.
Meesha Shafi maintained that these incidents (of sexual harassment) did nothappen when she was young or just entering the industry. “This happened tome despite the fact that I am an empowered, accomplished woman who is knownfor speaking her mind! This happened to me as a mother of two children,”wrote the 36-year-old mother of two.