Pakistani actor and singer, Ali Zafar is in the middle of a raging controversy right now. He has been accused by a fellow musician and many other women of inappropriate touching, vulgar behaviour and sexual harassment.
https://twitter.com/JMaham/status/987014310735024128
Ali Zafar has denied all the allegations.
He wrote on social media, “He wrote, “I categorically deny any and all claims of harassment lodged against me by Ms *****. 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 vendetta on social media and in turn disrespecting the movement, my family, the industry and fans. Ultimately, I am a strong believer that the truth, always prevails.”
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
Now, Ali Zafar has the support of two women who have worked with him in the past.
One of them wrote on Instagram, “So as the stories taking turn every minute regard Ali Zafar, ****** &#metoo movement, I think as a musician and a woman I should talk about this issue as I was SHOCKED right now with this article of ******. She said that her conscious doesn’t allow her to say quiet so mine also doesn’t allow me. As I am the part of concert crew, I travel intl and locally with Ali Zafar, and I have seen girls throwing themselves at him and his gentlemanly response to that which is so rare of any rockstar. balkay we all travel like friends and we work in a very comfy environment.”
The writer is a member in Ali Zafar’s team.
She further writes, “Today finally ****** tells us what she says happened to her that Ali harassed her at a jam or did something wrong to her and I cannot stay quiet. I was at this jam session becoz I sing in Ali’s band and so was her manager and our entire band. I am astonished that she would take a lie to this level which so many of us can prove wrong. We all have pictures, we were there and event manager was there and it was a gr8 jam session. I am a woman and I would never allow wrong to any woman. But come on , it’s a serious matter and we should be really clear on everything rather then putting accusations on people and then saying sorry you cannot question any woman it’s wrong.”
However, now more women have stepped up, but in support of Ali Zafar.
Among them is singer and model Aqsa Ali who took to Instagram and maintained that she was present at the jam session Meesha Shafi has spoken of (in an exclusive interview with Instep) and was astonished that “she (Meesha Shafi) would take a lie to this level” and that her conscience doesn’t allow her to stay quiet.
She stated, “As I am the part of concert crew, I travel internationally and locally with Ali Zafar, and I have seen girls throwing themselves at him and his gentlemanly response to that, which is so rare for any rockstar. (In fact) we all travel like friends and we work in a very comfortable environment.”
Kanza Munir also took to Instagram
Similarly, Lahore-based singer Kanza Munir also took to Instagram in support of Ali Zafar and refuted Meesha Shafi’s allegations of sexual harassment against the star.
“I have been working with Ali Zafar on and off since the past 3 years or so and up until now I’ve been quietly observing the current situation because I am no judge of personal character be it Meesha Shafi or Ali Zafar,” she began in her note on Instagram.