Get To Know Meesha Shafi, The Singing Sensation Who Sparked Pakistan's #MeToo Movement

Who is Meesha Shafi? The Pakistani singer back in 2018 had accused her colleague Ali Zafar of having sexually harassed her "on more than one occasion." Her declaration, one of the earliest from Pakistan's elite celebrity circle, had sent shockwaves across the country and fuelled forward their national #MeToo movement. As several supported and many denounced her, Zafar hit back denying all charges against him.

Shafi's

Sharing this because I believe that by speaking out about my own experience of sexual harassment, I will break the culture of silence that permeates through our society. It is not easy to speak out.. but it is harder to stay silent. My conscience will not allow it anymore #MeToo pic.twitter.com/iwex7e1NLZ

— MEESHA SHAFI (@itsmeeshashafi) April 19, 2018 she revealed later, dated back to 2017 when Zafar allegedly groped her at his recording studio, where they were preparing for a concert performance together. She claimed she had privately approached Zafar through her team after the incident, but no resolution was found, and hence, she made her #MeToo allegations public. Soon after, her claims prompted an outpouring of similar allegations from other women as well.

Since 2018, it has been a legal tug-of-war between the two singers. Months after her public accusations in April 2018, Zafar slapped a defamation suit on her worth Rs 1 billion. In this case, we earlier reported, Shafi could be facing jail time of upto three years. Shafi's case against Zafar, meanwhile, has been rejected twice by Pakistan's legal system on "technical grounds."

Sharing this because I believe that by speaking out about my own experience of sexual harassment, I will break the culture of silence that permeates through our society. It is not easy to speak out.. but it is harder to stay silent. My conscience will not allow it anymore #MeToo pic.twitter.com/iwex7e1NLZ

— MEESHA SHAFI (@itsmeeshashafi) April 19, 2018

Who Is Meesha Shafi: Get To Know The Singing Sensation

1. Shafi, a Lahore-born artist, is the daughter of prominent television actress Saba Hameed. Her grandfather was Hameed Akhtar, one of Pakistan's most distinguished journalists after Independence.

2. Shafi's video debut came with Jawad Ahmed's hit song Bin Teray Kya Hai Jeena, in which she starred opposite him. She has since modelled for several brands and featured on the topmost magazines in the country. She has been a recognisable face on Pakistan's Coke Studio, with her rendition of Alif Allah (Jugni) being among the most viewed songs on the channel.

3. Her screen debut came in 2006 with television show Muhabbat Khawab Ki Soorat. Her other small screen works include Ye Zindagi To Woh Nahi and Mor Mahal. She has also starred in Pakistani film Waar and Mira Nair's The Reluctant Fundamentalist. In Bollywood, she made an appearance opposite Farhan Akhtar in Bhaag Milkha Bhaag. 

4. In 2018, she came out with a survivor story, accusing Zafar of sexual misconduct. Her open letter on Twitter sparked a furore and fuelled forward Pakistan's #MeToo. Zafar, in response, charged her with a costly defamation suit. He has also named other celebrity women like Leena Ghani and Iffat Omar who had accused him, in later complaints. Shafi is being represented in court by Nighat Dad, advocate and noted Pakistani women's activist.

5. Shafi is currently based in Canada, where she holds citizenship. She lives with her husband Mahmood Rahman and their two children.