Ali Zafar files 1 bn defamation suit against Meesha Shafi
Lahore, June 24 : Actor-singer Ali Zafar has filed a defamation suit in a district court here against singer Meesha Shafi, who accused him of sexual harassment two months ago on social media. The suit claims damages of Rs 1 billion.
Filed under the Defamation Ordinance 2002 on Saturday, Zafar has said in the notice that Shafi had caused "tremendous injury" to his "reputation, goodwill, livelihood" through "false, slanderous and defamatory" allegations, according to Geo News
The suit reads: "As the defamatory statements are patently false, it can only be concluded that this malicious campaign has been launched against the plaintiff as part of a motivated conspiracy to tarnish the plaintiff's good image through making false accusations.
"The defendant has associated herself with the global #MeToo movement, with one of the launchers of the #MeToo movement Rose McGowan labeling the defendant as 'a heroine for our times'."
In the breakdown of the Rs 1 billion damages, the notice read: "Be that as it may, that due to the defamatory campaign being spearheaded by the defendant, the plaintiff besides special damages in case of defamation further suffered the following damages: Mental torture Rs 2 crore, Loss of contacts Rs 8 crore, Loss of reputation/goodwill Rs 50 crore, Loss of business opportunities Rs 40 crore."
Earlier, Shafi had confirmed she had received a legal notice sent by Zafar's counsel, asking the singer-cum-actor to delete her tweet alleging harassment and issue an apology on Twitter, failing which he would file a Rs 1 billion defamation case against her.
It was in April that Shafi took to Twitter to publicly accuse Zafar of physically harassing her on "more than one occasion".
Ali had denied the allegations, saying he would take the matter through the courts of law.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Modi urges industry to ramp up investment, prioritise research to scale up manufacturing
New Delhi (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday urged industry leaders to step up investments, embrace emerging technologies and prioritise research to help India Inc fully leverage the vast opportunities offered by free trade agreements with various nations.
"The days of cutting corners in research are over. We must now make substantial investments in research and development and ensure that our products meet global quality standards. Now we have got opportunities to move forward, so we should have only one mantra - Quality, Quality, Quality," he said while addressing a second webinar on Budget 2026-27.
Stressing that India has entered into free trade agreements with numerous countries, he said, these agreements have opened up a wide range of opportunities for the country.
"In such a situation, he said, "our responsibility is that we should never compromise on quality."
Today, the world is seeking reliable and resilient manufacturing partners, he said, adding that India has a strong opportunity to fulfil this role.
"Our direction is clear. Our resolve is clear. Build more, produce more, connect more, and now the need is to export more," he said.
Pointing out that a significant transformation is currently underway in the global economy, he said that markets are no longer focused solely on cost; sustainability has become an equally important consideration.
"The Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage Mission is a key initiative driving this shift. Incorporating sustainability into core business strategies is now essential. Industries that invest early in clean technologies will gain better access to emerging markets in the years ahead," he said.
Highlighting the importance of infrastructure and logistics, he said, they serve as fundamental pillars of our growth strategy.
This year's budget proposes a record level of capital expenditure to support these priorities, he said.
As India emerges as a beacon of hope for the world thanks to its robust economy, and as global supply chains undergo transformation, the prime minister said, rapid economic development has become the cornerstone for realising the vision of Viksit Bharat.
