There has been a recent development in the defamation case filed by director Sohail Javed against filmmaker Jami (Jamshed Mahmood Raza) for slandering him on social media. Additional District Judge, Karachi South, Samina Qureshi ordered plaintiff Sohail Javed and defendant Jami to maintain status quo in the ongoing defamation case, which means that both parties cannot take any action in the case until the matter can be resolved.
It all started when Jami read a letter on stage at the Lahooti Melo’s fourth edition. The letter was written by an alleged sexual assault victim, Jami quoted the letter which stated that the girl had been (allegedly) assaulted at the hands of another music video, TVC and film director after meeting him for the first time at Lahooti Melo’s inaugural edition. Her identity was kept anonymous for her safety. She revealed the name of the accused and sent the letter to Saif Samejo after the third edition of Lahooti Melo. The fourth Melo was dedicated to her, as Saif Samejo had told Instep post-event, and to others like her.
According to Instep, in a press statement from Sohail Javed’s team, it has been said: “Status quo has been ordered at the second hearing of the 1 billion defamation lawsuit filed by filmmaker and director Sohail Javed against Jami, he has still not filed a reply, rather challenged the maintainability of the case.â€
Read: A timeline of sexual abuse & the MeToo movement in Pakistan
The statement goes further: “Jami continuously reposted the letter on his social media. After all the hints given in the letter, once people started naming Javed, Jami did nothing to negate them, let alone clarify or deny it. Instead, he played along, which clearly showed insinuation on his part. It is after this incident that Mr. Javed initiated legal proceedings.”
Sohail Javed stated in the press statement, “This stunt by Jami Mehmood has brought personal and psychological losses to me and my family, I took the due course by taking the matter to court, than responding back on the social media irresponsibly.”
The statement further read: “Javed filed a 1 billion defamatory lawsuit on 9th March, 2019 and has demanded a public apology for insulting him on the same forum he had first spoken about it. Also, the notice demands removal of the posts from his social media accounts. As much as we all hope that the harassment cases are addressed positively, we also hope for the fake accusations to be dealt accordingly. The next date of hearing is 6th April, 2019, and Jami’s reply is still awaited.â€
https://www.facebook.com/jami.azadfilmco/posts/1013378892192853
When Instep contacted Jami for a statement, Jami’s team issued a press release, “Jami to contest the legal proceedings against him, with full fervour as the Court passed an interim order dated 26.03.2019 for both the parties to maintain status quo.”
Also read: Powerful women in Pakistan talk about being sexually abused as children
“The Court on the 5th hearing observed that no one had been named or identified in the social media post under litigation and that the Plaintiff had taken it upon himself to institute proceedings against Jami. Despite the counsel for the plaintiff vehemently arguing the removal of the subject post, the court was pleased to direct the parties to maintain status quo,” the statement said.
“We have full faith in our justice system, and the court order further instills our faith in the sanctity of truth. This is just the beginning of our fight for the countless victims of sexual abuse who suffer in silence. The victims have reposed their faith in the Court after yesterday’s Court Order and they are now coming forward in public and will also now initiate their own legal proceedings against their predator. Moreover, truth is a defence to defamation and we will take this opportunity provided to us by Sohail Javed to unveil the truth in the legal proceedings initiated against Jami. We will further continue to fight for a just, safe and an inclusive Pakistan,†Jami’s press release stated.
