While so many of us have (rightfully) celebrated granting leave to appeal in @itsmeeshashafi's case, let us put things in perspective.

30 April 2018: Meesha Shafi files a complaint under the Workplace Harassment Act before the Ombudsperson.

3 May 2018 (quickest "justice" I've ever seen): Ombudsperson dismisses complaint on technical grounds (simply speaking, the Workplace Harassment Act does not apply to Meesha's case).

Yesterday, leave to appeal was granted. This means, after over TWO years, someone has said:

"We will examine the Workplace Harassment Act".

Even if the outcome is extending protection under the law (which would be a huge legal victory), the substance of these allegations will not shape discourse - technicalities & law will.

For two years, anyone who has spoken about Ali Zafar *allegedly* harassing them has either been subjected to vicious & vile attacks and/or been slapped with criminal defamation cases.

Meesha did something many (if not most) women in Pakistan, more often than not, opt against. Women in Pakistan rarely report harassment. There are reasons for this. We have all seen those reasons play out even in this case where the woman comes from privilege.

Law, technicality, interpretation - we look in hope that a law that was meant to protect women from harassment in work settings is applied. Those who harass cannot be allowed to say "but we didnt have a relationship that falls under the Act so too bad".

Just a thought but isnt that why a law was enacted in the first place?

That some powerful men should continue to get away with disgusting behaviour and then turn around and wave around a dismissal on technical grounds as exoneration is unacceptable. What women go through in this country every single day is unacceptable.

IS IT TOO MUCH TO ASK FOR THAT A WOMAN BE ALLOWED TO SAY WHAT WAS DONE TO HER?

This is where we stand in 2021. Take a good look.

#MeToo was & is abt women coming forward with their lived

experiences. It was not/is not abt retribution but accountability & healing. For those of us who have stayed silent too many times, we know quite well how difficult it is to speak. Even coming from privilege. How much worse it would be for those who do not have that...

Many people (including trolls) ask me: "why do you believe Meesha Shafi?"

So many women, including myself, will tell you it's because #MeToo

& it's a damn shame that there are so many women who can say that. If the men screaming about "false allegations" and "proofS" just

stopped making women feel uncomfortable, they wouldnt need to worry about laws applying to their conduct.

Be a decent human being. When a woman says no, it's no. Consent.

But here we are, still teaching basics.

"You made me feel uncomfortable". You're not allowed to say that