KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on Wednesday issued a notice to singer Ali Zafar on a suit claiming Rs50 million damages for allegedly defaming a female make-up artist on social media.

A single bench headed by Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi issued the notice to the defendant through District and Sessions’ Judge Lahore for Jan 25 to file his comments.

Leena Ghani, a female make-up artist, instituted a lawsuit claiming Rs50m damages from the male singer and artist for allegedly defaming her on social media.

The plaintiff submitted through her counsel that Mr Zafar tweeted on Dec 20, 2020 circulating an alleged false statement and representation which intends to lower her in the estimation of the general public and tends to reduce her to ridicule, unjust criticism, hence is defamatory to the plaintiff.

She claimed that the defendant first harassed her during a fashion event in London in 2014, adding that he also passed inappropriate comments twice during the month of June the same year. Ms Ghani said she shared it with her family and friends.

She further stated that in July 2014 the defendant made an offer to her to work in a major organisation, but she politely refused.

Ms Ghani said the defendant’s tweets were meant to defame her in the social and business circles, adding that Ali Zafar alleged that she was hand in glove with a female singer, Meesha Shafi, who had also filed a harassment case against him.

The plaintiff pleaded to the court to decree the suit in her favour, ordering the defendant to pay Rs50m to her for causing her mental agony, shock and stress.

She also requested the court to restrain the defendant from levelling, circulating, publishing or spreading any statements personally or through the media that may be defamatory to her.

Published in Dawn, January 14th, 2021