Pakistani singer and actress Meesha Shafi has alleged Ali Zafar sexually harassed her on more than one occasion.
The singer took to Twitter to speak up about her experience stating “my conscience does not allow me to be silent anymore.”
“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,” Shafi tweeted.
This is the first incident of a Pakistani celebrity alleging a colleague harassed her.
In her statement posted on Twitter, the singer-cum-actor wrote, “As a woman, a public figure and a mother, I have always felt strongly about using my voice to encourage and support our youth who look up to me especially girls, who dream of carving their own path in Pakistan.”
Shafi continued, “Despite having a voice, there are some issues that are very difficult to speak about as a woman, especially sexual harassment.”
Ali Zafar is one of the most well-known singers in Pakistan and made his acting debut with a leading role in the 2010 Bollywood satire film Tere Bin Laden. His performance in the film garnered critical appreciation and earned him several nominations in the Best Male Debut category, including Filmfare. He then worked in several films, including Mere Brother Ki Dulhan, Chashme Baddoor, and Dear Zindagi.
