The Lahore High Court has refused to suspend the main findings of a lower court judgment in the case involving Meesha Shafi and Ali Zafar.
The earlier decision, given on March 31, 2026, had declared the allegations made by Meesha Shafi to be false and defamatory, and not in the public interest. This decision remains effective.
The case was heard by a division bench led by Justice Ahmed Arshad Nadeem after an appeal was filed by Meesha Shafi. At the start of the hearing, the court issued a notice to Ali Zafar, which was accepted by his lawyer.
During the proceedings, Meesha Shafi’s legal team requested the court to suspend the earlier judgment. They also offered to deposit one-third of the penalty amount as part of their request. However, the court did not agree to suspend the judgment based on this proposal.
The High Court only provided limited temporary relief. It paused the payment of the total penalty amount of PKR 5 million, but with conditions. Meesha Shafi has been directed to deposit 50% of the amount with the court and provide a guarantee for the remaining 50%.
Importantly, the court has not changed the main conclusions of the trial court. The findings that the allegations were false and damaging to reputation are still valid. The court has also kept in place the order that stops Meesha Shafi from repeating those allegations.
The case will continue to be heard in the Lahore High Court, where a final decision is still pending.
