Indian media spread fake news regarding Meesha Shafi, claiming the singer has sentenced to 3-year imprisonment for falsely accusing Ali Zafar of sexual harassment.
The false news spread like a fire on social media. Netizens started to believe without any verification. However, Meesha Shafi has finally spoken regarding the rumors.
She took to the micro-blogging site Twitter and negate all the rumors spreading against her.
Meesha also tweeted a thread in which she told how she deals with all the propaganda, abuse, and false information.
10:35 am
Made myself a black coffee. I quit coffee altogether around 1.5 years ago started beginning my day with celery juice. But on days like this, when I’m being juiced myself, coffee helps. Thank you coffee 🙏🏼— MEESHA SHAFI (@itsmeeshashafi) March 15, 2021
10:55
My husband walked into the room, gave me a pep talk only a true feminist ally would. ‘I want you to remember that what they’re doing once again reeks of desperation and fear. Don’t let it shake you, I know it’s easier said than done.’ This makes me cry. Thank you M ♥️— MEESHA SHAFI (@itsmeeshashafi) March 15, 2021
Here Is How The Fake News Spread:
On March 22, Wall Street Journal published a report on Meesha Shafi with the title “Pakistani Singer Faces Prosecution for Accusing Pop Star of Groping Her.” The report highlights how Meesha “set off the country’s most high-profile #MeToo debate when she accused a fellow pop star of groping her. And now she was being prosecuted on a criminal defamation charge and is facing possible prison time.”
DailyMail Initiates The Fake News Chain:
Taking chunks from the WSJ, DailyMail claimed that the Pakistani singer Meesha Shafi “faces three years in jail”. On the other hand, they also quoted the WSJ report.
The headline of DailyMail’s report titled, “Pakistani singer who accused the pop star of groping her and sparked country’s #MeToo movement faces three years in jail for ‘criminal defamation.”
India Took The False News A Step Further:
The Indian publications took advantage of the International news, without verification, and started to spread rumors regarding Meesha Shafi.
Indian publications claimed that the singer has been sentenced to three-year imprisonment for falsely accusing Ali Zafar of sexual harassment.
India’s IBtimes and Times of India reported that Meesha was given a three-year sentence, ZeeNews reported that she faces three years in jail. Moreover, ZeeNews quoted MailOnline/DailyMail, while Times of India quoted “a report”.
Meesha’s Lawyer Rubbishes Rumors:
Meesha Shafi’s lawyer Asad Jamal refutes all the rumors spreading regarding the singer’s imprisonment and said in a tweet,
“This is with ref to the fake news claiming that my client Meesha Shafi has been sentenced to 3 yrs imprisonment.”
This is with ref to the fake news claiming that my client Meesha Shafi has been sentenced to 3 yrs imprisonment.
No such verdict has been passed by trial court in the frivolous criminal defamation case instituted by Ali Zafar against several women.
Read complete statement below pic.twitter.com/49vRSXtvFe— Asad Jamal (@LegalPolitical) March 15, 2021
Earlier in September 2019, Ali Zafar had filed an FIR against Meesha Shafi, and eight others for posting defamatory content against him on their Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram accounts.
The FIR filed by Ali Zafar names Meesha Shafi, Iffat Omar, Ali Gul Pir, Humna Raza, Leena Ghani, Fariya Ayub, Maham Javaid, Syed Faizan Raza, and Haseeemuz Zaman.
They were booked under Section 20 (Offences against the dignity of a natural person) of the PECA and Section 109 (Punishment of abetment) of the Pakistan Penal Code.
According to the FIR, “Some persons are using Twitter, Facebook and Instagram account uploading defamatory posts and doing his [Zafar’s] character assassination on social media to damage his reput in society.”
He said that Meesha used her Twitter account to post derogatory remarks and false allegations against the complainant on April 19, 2018.
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