It happened while we were jamming: Meesha Shafi

LAHORE: Revealing her complete story after levelling allegations of sexual harassment against Ali Zafar, Meesha Shafi said it happened while they were jamming before concerts.

In an interview, Meesha said, “The first time it happened, I didn’t react and just left.”

She added, “I told my husband but also asked him to not react; I’m a public figure and so is he (Ali Zafar). My thought process was who I am and who he is and what that’s going to lead to. Being ready to talk was far off because it had just happened. I buried it.”

Furthermore, the pop singer remembered that she was not alone with Ali during the incident, adding that the second incident of sexual harassment occurred during late last year or last quarter of last year when she was in a jam room.

Meesha said, “I got booked for a concert (with Ali Zafar).”

“I was jamming with my band in Lahore and the organisers insisted that he was trying to get in touch. It started turning into a thing, and I was being seen as difficult or a diva, I got such feelers. I was avoiding him. I was asked to jam, figure out songs, scale and it happened while we were jamming,” she added.

On why she had so many pictures with Ali despite the serious issue, she responded, “I have run into him, our pictures have been taken, at social gatherings etc because it’s easier to to tell yourself to move on in whatever way you can, you try.”

“It is my bread and butter, it was work coming my way.”

Meesha called it liberating and empowering after making the story public. “I only felt hesitant as long as I hadn’t told anyone. The more people I tell, the more power I feel. I do. That has been my direct experience in the case. I’ve done the thing I feared and I’ve taken the leap of faith,” she said.

The #MeToo movement grabbed paced in Pakistan when on April 19, Meesha Shafi posted a lengthy message on Twitter, accusing Ali Zafar of physically harassing her on multiple occasions. “This happened to me despite the fact I am an empowered, accomplished woman who is known for speaking her mind!” read the statement.

Zafar denied the accusations and has announced that he will pursue legal action against the actress. “I intend to take this through the courts of law, and to address this professionally and seriously rather than to lodge any accusations here,” he wrote on Twitter.