#Metoo: Meesha Shafi accuses Ali Zafar of sexual harassment
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani singer and actor Meesha Shafi on Thursday accused actor Ali Zafar of sexually harassing her on several occasions, the latest in a growing string of such charges in the conservative country.
The 36-year-old mother of two, who made her film debut in Mira Nair’s The Reluctant Fundamentalist, took to Twitter to share her experiences.
Shafi said in a note that she was sharing her story because she feels speaking about such issues will break the culture of silence among Pakistani women.
She wrote in her note, “I have been subjected to sexual harassment of a physical nature at the hands of a colleague from my industry: Ali Zafar. These incidences did not happen when I was young or just entering the industry. This happened to be despite the fact that I am an empowered, accomplished woman who is known for speaking her mind! This happened to me as a mother of two children.”
The singer of the hit song Aya Lariye, who was featured in UN Women Pakistan’s campaign to raise awareness about violence against women, said this had been a very traumatic experience for her and her family.
In a statement on Twitter, Zafar rejected the accusation: “I intend to take this through the courts of law and to address this professionally and seriously rather than to lodge any allegations here, contesting personal vendettas on social media and in turn disrespecting the movement, my family, the industry and my fans. Ultimately I am a strong believer that the truth, always prevails.”
Zafar is a popular singer who has worked with Shafi on several songs and advertisements. He has also appeared in Bollywood films such as Tere Bin Laden and Kill Dil.