Meesha Shafi discusses women's resilience in verdict aftermath

After winning defamation case, Ali Zafar says justice has been done, hopes to move forward in peace

Singer Meesha Shafi discussed the importance of women's resilience in her reaction to the verdict announced in favour of Ali Zafar in his defamation suit against her. On Tuesday, the court ordered her to pay Rs5 million in damages.

Shortly after the announcement, Meesha took to Instagram to share a series of posts expressing her thoughts. She shared poetic reflections, focusing on honouring women's resilience and strength.

"That was going on in my head as a coping mechanism through these last seven years, where I would think along those lines in a desperate attempt to distract myself from the uglier things that were going on," she wrote.

The singer also reposted a quote from Doctor Blogger, which emphasised that "not every victory comes in the form of a court decision. When a woman finds the courage to speak up… that is a victory."

She further shared stories from fans who showed their continued support.

Meanwhile, Zafar expressed gratitude for the court's decision.

"Justice has finally been done. I feel no triumph, only humility and gratitude. I hold no ill feelings toward anyone. For me, this chapter is now closed. I pray we can all move forward with grace and peace," he said.

Shafi started her singing career with the band Overload with her husband, but left in 2011. Shafi sang along with the internationally acclaimed folk singer Arif Lohar on Coke Studio Pakistan Season 3, with the song "Alif Allah (Jugni)". The single, originally composed and performed by Lohar, gathered over 20 million+ views on YouTube, was the most-viewed Coke Studio song ever, until it was overtaken by "Tajdaar-e-Haram", and was used in several films like Cocktail, Diary of a Butterfly and Jugni.

She sang a rendition of the folk song "Chori Chori", which received mixed reviews. She returned to Coke Studio (Season 5) in 2012 when she sang "Ishq Aap Bhi Awalla" with the Chakwalees and sang a ghazal by Faiz Ahmad Faiz, "Dasht-e-Tanhai".

In 2014, Meesha Shafi returned to the Coke Studio floor for a third time to perform "Sun Ve Balori" with the composer and tabla guru Ustad Tafu and producers Strings.

In 2015, Meesha Shafi lent her vocals to two OSTs. One being 'EVA' that was produced by Strings is featured on the soundtrack of the film Moor, released in August 2015, and directed by director Jami.

In August 2015, she released 'Mehram Dilaan De Mahi' for the OST of the biopic (directed and portrayed on screen by Sarmad Khoosat), based on the life and works of prose writer, Manto. The track is produced by True Brew Records and the lyrics are by Punjabi poet Shiv Kumar Batalvi. 'Manto' was released on 11 September 2015.

Zafar began his career as a composer and gained popularity with his single "Channo" from his debut album, Huqa Pani, which sold over five million copies worldwide. "Channo" turned out to be a huge success, topping many music charts and earned him several awards for Best Music Album and Artist. Zafar made his acting debut with a leading role in the 2010 Bollywood satire film Tere Bin Laden, a moderate box office success. His performance in the film garnered critical appreciation and earned him several nominations in the Best Male Debut category, including Filmfare. He then also worked in several films, including Mere Brother Ki Dulhan, Chashme Baddoor, and Dear Zindagi.

Alongside his acting and singing career, Zafar participates in tours, concerts, and stage shows, is active in humanitarian work, and has a number of endorsement deals. In 2013, Zafar was voted as the "Sexiest Asian Man on the Planet", based on a worldwide poll by the British newspaper Eastern Eye.

On 23 March 2021, Ali Zafar was awarded the highest literary award, Pride of Performance, for his contribution in the field of arts and music. He received the award from President of Pakistan Arif Alvi at ceremony at the President House, Islamabad.

In 2010, he made his debut as an actor with the Bollywood film Tere Bin Laden, which was directed by Abhishek Sharma. Zafar's performance in the film garnered critical appreciation and earned him Best Male Debut nominations at several award ceremonies, including IIFA Awards, Screen Awards, Zee Cine Awards and Filmfare Awards. He was also named as the first Pakistani to be called to Indian Film Festival at Australia in March 2011 for his movie screening.