Supreme Court orders for criminal action against Meesha Shafi and others to be stopped, calls it a hindrance on freedom of speech

Mahnoor Jalal

Mahnoor Jalal

Sub-Editor
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Today, the Supreme Court ordered that the defamation lawsuit filed against singer and actor Meesha Shafi  to be stopped, because it hinders a person’s right to freedom of expression. In a tweet shared by Shafi’s lawyer Nighat Dad, she shared the words of Justice Qazi Isa who said that defamation lawsuits are a ridiculous law and were restricting the right of freedom of speech for every citizen of this country:

“Justice Qazi Isa in #Metoo case said if there would be a sentence for “calling a thief a thief. If someone calls someone a thief or a murderer, will they be punished for just saying that? Ridiculous laws have been enacted. Why are you making freedom of expression a criminal act?”

Justice Isa who was overhearing the petition filed by Meesha Shafi, said that the FIA had turned a blind eye on the kind of content that was being displayed on social media in Pakistan, but why are they quick to come down on one person because of a single tweet?

Nighat Dad also shared that Justice Isa said that during Ziaul Haq’s rule, women were convicted under the Qazf ordinance as Islam offered complete protection to women