Judgment reserved on Meesha’s petition for case transfer

LAHORE: District and Sessions judge Muhammad Khalid Nawaz on Saturday reserved verdict on an application filed by singer Meesha Shafi for the transfer of a defamation suit filed by actor and singer Ali Zafar to another court showing distrust in the judge currently hearing the case.

The application moved by Meesha through her counsel stated that she believed that the judge was showing partiality to Ali Zafar and she had loss trust in the judge. She alleged that the additional district and sessions judge assisted witnesses in recording their statements in the defamation case. She also alleged that the judge without any reason had fined her counsel. She implored the court to transfer the case to another judge due to the reasons.

During the proceedings the district and sessions judge Muhammad Khalid Nawaz asked that how long the case had been going on. To which the court was informed by the counsel of Ali Zafar that that it had been 14 months since hearings started and as per the orders of the Lahore High Court the decision had to be made within the next three months. The court after hearing the arguments of both parties reserved the verdict by May 8. Meanwhile, the court of additional district and sessions judge adjourned the hearing of Ali Zafar’s defamation suit by May 11 after the court was informed by Meesha’s counsel that they had moved the district and sessions Court for the transfer of the case to another judge.