The Lahore High Court on Wednesday rejected a petition filed by singer Meesha Shafi and others challenging a case against them under the cyber crime law for running a "malicious campaign" against singer-cum-actor Ali Zafar, reported Dawn News.

The petitioners, Shafi, Maham Javed, Iffat Omar, Fareeha Ayub, Haseemur Rehman and Syed Faizan Raza, also challenged Section 20 of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca), 2016 which it stated is in violation of fundamental rights of the citizens protected under the Constitution, according to the Dawn report. The federal government, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and Zafar were respondents in the petition.

Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh had reserved the verdict on Dec 14, 2021 after lawyers from all parties concluded their arguments.

The petitioners asked the high court to quash the FIR lodged against them by the FIA and declare section 20 of Peca void as being contrary to various provisions of the Constitution.

A trial of the petitioners in the FIR was pending before a judicial magistrate, while applications of Shafi and Maham Javed for permanent exemption from personal appearance have been dismissed. They have been summoned through bailable warrants of arrest on March 19, according to the report.

The FIA had registered the FIR under section 20 (malicious code) of Peca and Section 109 (Punishment of abetment) of Pakistan Penal Code against nine persons for running a smear campaign against the complainant, Ali Zafar, on social media.

In the challan, the FIA had stated that the investigation established that all the suspects including Shafi posted serious and direct allegations and defamatory and derogatory content on social media against the complainant.