KARACHI—A Pakistani court has ruled that the Chief Editor of Norway’s far-right tabloid Verdens Gang (VG) and its reporter, Rolf John Widerøe, deliberately defamed prominent Dubai-based businessman Umar Farooq Zahoor and engaged in a prolonged defamation campaign against him.
The court has ordered both individuals to pay Mr. Zahoor and his legal team 30 million rupees in damages and legal fees. In the long-running defamation case brought by Umar Farooq Zahoor against VG’s Chief Editor and reporter Rolf John Widerøe, Judge Abid Zubair of the Additional District and Sessions Court in Ferozwala determined that the evidence clearly indicated that Rolf John Widerøe and the VG Chief Editor had defamed the plaintiff by publishing false statements through electronic media. The court found that these statements harmed Mr. Zahoor’s reputation and led to ridicule from others.
The ruling mandates that both defendants must pay 30 million Rupees in damages to the plaintiff, which includes litigation costs.
The ruling was made ex-parte because both the Chief Editor of Verdens Gang (VG) and its reporter, Rolf John Widerøe, refused to engage with the court despite several requests, summons, and reminders. Late last year, both were declared proclaimed offenders by the same court in Pakistan due to their deliberate failure to appear before the court regarding a false and defamatory story published about businessman Umar Farooq Zahoor.
The judgment noted that Umar Farooq Zahoor “has an impeccable reputation in various business and social circles for his entrepreneurial and philanthropic work. He also enjoys respect within the diplomatic community, having previously served as an Ambassador at Large for various NGOs. It is significant to mention that the plaintiff has provided energy solutions to different African countries and has closed transactions totaling almost $5 billion over the past decade. Additionally, he has received several honors for his contributions and has the privilege of advising members of the royal family on financial matters.”
The judgment further stated, “The defendants (the VG Chief Editor and reporter Rolf John Widerøe), in collusion with each other, have been conducting a malicious campaign against the plaintiff (Umar Farooq Zahoor) for an extended period, motivated by considerations of his religion and race. It is noteworthy that the aforementioned VG tabloid is known for publishing anti-Islam and anti-Pakistan content, making the plaintiff a longstanding target of the defendants, who have been pressuring and blackmailing him.”
“It is abundantly clear beyond any doubt that the defendants have consistently raised false allegations against the plaintiff without any evidence, which is defamatory. The defendants have continually reported in a one-sided manner, further highlighting their ill intent and malice. Such practices are contrary to the norms of fair journalism and reporting.”
Judge Abid Zubair of the Additional District and Sessions Court in Ferozwala declared Mr. Rolf John Widerøe and the Chief Editor as proclaimed offenders through a court declaration published in leading English-language newspapers in Pakistan. This action followed the failure of both individuals to respond to earlier notices sent and served in Norway at the tabloid’s address. Both Mr. Widerøe and the VG Editor refused to appear before the court and did not provide any evidence to support their libelous story after the court issued summons in November of the previous year. They discussed the litigation against them in the Norwegian media but declined to address the orders from the Pakistani court.
Umar Farooq Zahoor, a Dubai-based business tycoon, sued Verdens Gang (VG) and its reporter Rolf J. Widerøe for publishing a defamatory and vindictive article about him, in which key facts were concealed to harm his reputation and his contributions to Pakistan, including bringing millions of dollars in direct foreign investment.
Zahoor’s lawyers have accused the right-wing tabloid of targeting the businessman “with malicious intent for the past fifteen years by publishing defamatory articles” and engaging in a sustained “witch hunt” against him. They assert that the primary motivation behind this orchestrated campaign is rooted in “Islamophobia, racism, and personal vendettas against our client.” Zahoor’s legal team highlighted that the tabloid’s campaign was biased and Islamophobic, as it deliberately omitted crucial facts while attacking him. They also dismissed the allegations of fraud against Zahoor related to the Nordea Bank Norway case.
The claim letter explained that a case was registered in Norway in 2010 involving certain officials of Nordea Bank, who, in collusion with private individuals, fraudulently deprived Randi Nelson of a significant sum of money. This amount was subsequently transferred to banks in the UAE and Norway. Importantly, our client has not been to Norway since 2005, while the alleged incident occurred in 2010.
The Norwegian Law Enforcement Agencies initiated an investigation in 2011. Those implicated in the crime were prosecuted, with some convicted and others acquitted. Our client was implicated merely due to connections with individuals in the UAE allegedly involved in the fraud and comments made by the judge who conducted the trial of the Nordea Bank fraud. These comments were made without any proof of our client’s involvement in the fraud. As a result, the Appellate Court overturned the trial judge’s remarks. The investigation against our client was closed in 2013 due to a lack of evidence. It is astonishing that neither the news of the investigation’s closure nor the overturning of the trial judge’s remarks was reported by your tabloid.
The defamation lawsuit pointed out that Norwegian authorities reopened the investigation in 2015 and issued a Red Notice for our client through INTERPOL. However, the UAE Law Enforcement Agency refused to hand Zahoor over to the Norwegian authorities because the prosecution could not provide any evidence linking him to the alleged crime.
The lawsuit against the Verdens Gang (VG) tabloid claimed that it intentionally failed to inform its readers that the presiding judicial officer, Arild Nesdal—whose comments were relied upon by the tabloid when convicting one of the accused in the alleged fraud—had himself been convicted of child pornography offenses. These charges stemmed from his downloading and possession of objectionable images and videos related to the sexual abuse of children, which led to his conviction.
The lawsuit alleged that reporter Rolf J. Widerøe was aware of the serious nature of the former judge’s crimes, as Nesdal was adjudicating matters related to child abuse while committing such offenses in his chambers at the Oslo District Court. However, the tabloid deliberately concealed this critical fact while covering the Nordea Bank case.
Additionally, the lawsuit mentioned that Shehzad Akbar, who served as ex-advisor to then Prime Minister Imran Khan on accountability, in collusion with Zahoor’s ex-wife Khushbakht Mirza, reopened the same case in Pakistan. However, all fabricated cases were dismissed after independent inquiries revealed them to be baseless and malicious.
It was also revealed that the Norwegian tabloid, in a vindictive move, filed a criminal case against Zahoor on allegations of threatening the tabloid. This case was dismissed by the Oslo Police after a thorough investigation on March 23, 2023. The letter stated, “It is unimaginable how our client can threaten your tabloid while not being in Norway.”
Furthermore, the lawsuit noted that Rolf J. Widerøe has been a proclaimed offender in Pakistan since 2015. A criminal case bearing No. 222/2015 was registered against him for defrauding a Pakistani citizen, Maqsood Ali, out of ten million rupees by falsely promising to secure a Norwegian passport during his visit to Nawabshah, Pakistan. After receiving the substantial payment, Widerøe allegedly threatened Ali with dire consequences and subsequently managed to flee from Pakistan. The law enforcement agency obtained non-bailable arrest warrants for Widerøe from a competent court. A request for his Red Notice was also made, and he remains at large, wanted by Pakistani law enforcement. The tabloid continues to publish stories about a proclaimed offender who intentionally distorts and conceals facts for his personal gain.
