LAHORE, 8 September 2026 (Kamran Raja): The Lahore High Court (LHC) has sought a response within seven days on singer Meesha Shafi’s miscellaneous application challenging a trial court order directing her to pay Rs5 million in damages in a defamation case involving singer Ali Zafar. A two-member bench headed by Justice Ahmad Nadeem Arshad heard Shafi’s appeal against the lower court’s decision. In her appeal, Shafi argued that the trial court had failed to properly assess the facts and relevant law while deciding the defamation case. She maintained that the defamation proceedings were decided without a determination on the merits of her sexual harassment allegations against Zafar. Shafi informed the court that litigation concerning her sexual harassment allegations remains pending before the Supreme Court of Pakistan. According to her plea, an allegation that has not been proved cannot automatically be treated as false merely because it remains unsubstantiated. Shafi has asked the LHC to set aside the trial court’s order requiring her to pay Rs5 million in damages. The high court had previously suspended the trial court’s decision to the extent of the damages. During the latest proceedings, the bench directed the relevant party to submit a response to Shafi’s miscellaneous application within seven days. The underlying dispute stems from sexual harassment allegations made by Shafi against Zafar, following which the trial court ordered her to pay Rs5 million in damages in the defamation proceedings. Shafi has challenged that decision before the Lahore High Court, meaning the matter remains under judicial consideration and the trial court ruling does not constitute the final outcome of the appellate proceedings.