LAHORE: A sessions’ court has suspended the bailable warrants of singer Meesha Shafi and Maham Javed issued by a judicial magistrate enabled them to appear in trial of a case of running a malicious campaign on social media against actor-singer Ali Zafar.

The court issued notices to the respondents including Ali Zafar till March 18 and restrained the trial court from adopting coercive measures against the petitioners till the decision of the appeal.

Ms Shafi and Maham Javed, being residents of foreign countries, had sought exemption from personal appearance in the trial proceeding. However, the magistrate dismissed their applications and summoned them through bailable arrest warrants.

Both challenged the decision before a sessions court through Advocate Asad Jamal and got relief.

Earlier their counsel argued before the court that the judicial magistrate erred in law by declining the petitioners’ pleas to be represented by their pleaders in accordance with the law.

He said the petitioners were living in Canada and the United States with their families. He said it was practically impossible for them to appear before the trial court on every hearing.

He argued that the superior courts already ruled that no one could be deprived of right to freedom of movement.

He asked the court to set aside the impugned decision of the magistrate.

The FIA had lodged the FIR under section 20 of the Pakistan Electronic Crime Act and section 09 of Pakistan Penal Code against nine persons.

Actor-singer Ali Zafar has requested

A sessions court also sought reply from Ali Zahar in an application of Meesha seeking permission to record her remaining cross-examination through a video link from Canada in a defamation suit of Ali.

In the defamation suit, Zafar said the allegations of sexual harassment by Shafi tarnished his image in public and his family had been facing agony and pain. He asked the court to issue a decree of rupees one billion against Shafi as damages.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022