'It's a man's world': Iffat Omar slams verdict in Meesha Shafi case, says no woman will be believed again

Actress says supporters were accused of running foreign agenda; calls verdict loss for every harassed woman in country

Actress Iffat Omar, who has shown support for Messha Shafi during her trial against singer Ali Zafar, expressed disappointment over the final verdict delivered yesterday by a Lahore sessions court. The verdict, ruling in Zafar's favour, ordered Shafi to pay him Rs5 million.

In a post on X, Omar wrote that the loss is not hers. Shafi's, or her mother Saba Hameed's, saying they could pay the Rs5 million in damages "right now." "It’s about the fact that women will continue to be touched inappropriately, even when married, even by men who are “friends” of their husbands. We all know this is the reality of a man’s world."

So the final verdict from session court of Meesha Shafi vs Ali Zafar defamation case came out.I was not only a primary character witness, I knew both families and both children very closely. If I took a side, it was with 100% certainty and belief.

For me, Meesha Shafi’s issue…

— Iffat Omar Official (@OmarIffat) March 31, 2026

 

Read: 'We are not accepting defeat': Meesha Shafi's mother breaks silence in Ali Zafar case

Writing that she was not only a primary character witness, Omar added "I knew both families and both children very closely. If I took a side, it was with 100% certainty and belief."

 

The actress added that Shafi's case "ended the day every girl who supported her — including me — was dragged into criminal cases," adding that she had been told she could face three years in prison. She went on, "And if that happens, I will go and serve those three years, because I do not step back from my truth — and anyone who knows me, knows this”.

Further, Omar shared that people who were involved were "silenced, pressured, bought, and scared" and that the entire support system had been broken. "On top of that, we were accused of running a foreign agenda, of being paid huge amounts in dollars," she wrote, adding that she would reiterate, and even prove in court, that she is "ready to open all my bank accounts, everything."

In her post, Omar noted that the verdict not only impacts Shafi but also other women whose experiences of harassment go unrecognised due to a lack of evidence, leaving them vulnerable to public ridicule. “The truth is, every woman knows that at some point in her life, she has been physically harassed. Sometimes in a room full of people, someone touches you in a way you cannot even process, and you cannot even speak. We have all gone through this — as children, as young women, and even today," she wrote.

Read More: Meesha Shafi asks court to dismiss Ali Zafar’s defamation suit

She also questioned, "So when a star of this magnitude, who needed no fame, who comes from a respected family, speaks up — is it for fame? “

The actress further stated that Shafi and her circle "did not step back because we knew that if we lost this case, then every woman who suffers this every day would lose with us. And from that day on, no woman in this country would ever be believed."

"The entire Lahore, the entire industry knows the truth," Omar stated.

 

Concluding her post, Omar said, "From today onwards, even I will not believe a woman in Pakistan — because surely, the man must be right. And my honorable courts, thank you for proving this," ending with "It’s a man’s world. Goodbye."

Omar's post received both positive and negative reactions, with some justifying her point by agreeing that the justice system in Pakistan is flawed and others saying she should accept the verdict. 

 

 

Some users even suggested that Omar is playing the aurat card, which they argue allows many girls to take advantage of situations like Shafi's to ruin someone’s life and career. However, Omar maintained her stance, replying to the comments in her post.

Yesterday's verdict has once again ignited a debate across Pakistan, regarding the complexities of proving harassment in court and the role of public opinion attached to the risks of speaking out against such injustices.

As reactions continue to surface, the verdict highlights a deeply divided public opinion and draws questions of justice, accountability, and gender dynamics in Pakistan.

The legal battle between Shafi and Zafar dates back to 2018, when the former accused Zafar of sexual harassment, leading him to file a defamaton suit claiming reputational harm and distress to his family.