Lahore: Pakistani singer Meesha Shafi has won a defamation case in the UK against ARY’s UK broadcaster, New Vision TV (NVTV), which has now publicly apologized for falsely accusing her of defying Pakistani court orders.
The dispute stemmed from a December 2020 news broadcast in which NVTV claimed Shafi had travelled to Pakistan from Canada to record for Coke Studio while avoiding court appearances in a defamation case filed by singer Ali Zafar. The segment featured mocking visuals, tweets comparing her to animals, and misleading commentary. Shafi filed the lawsuit in the UK High Court in December 2021.
In 2023, the court ruled she had been defamed. NVTV agreed to settle the matter amicably and issued an apology video, admitting the broadcast created a false impression. The channel pledged to consult Shafi or her lawyers before reporting on her.
Shafi’s legal team included Nighat Dad and UK-based Stone White Solicitors. Her win highlights concerns about media accountability. Gresham Legal and Jonathan Barnes KC represented NVTV. This case follows years of litigation between Shafi and Zafar since her 2018 sexual harassment claims, which Zafar denies.
