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JD Vance meets Umar Farooq Zaheer: On April 11, when the US Vice President JD Vance When we reached Pakistan’s capital Islamabad for the first round of peace talks with Iran, a video caught special attention. In this viral video, US Ambassador Steve Witkoff was seen introducing Vance to a man, identified by the Norwegian newspaper Verdens Gang (VG) as Omar Farooq Zaheer. Zaheer is a businessman of Pakistani origin, who has been wanted for a long time in a fraud case worth crores in Norway.

Zaheer, who was considered absconding in Norway, has been awarded the second highest civilian honor in Pakistan like ‘Hilal-e-Imtiaz’. He was given this honor for bringing foreign investment in the country. However, an investigation has been conducted in Switzerland also regarding his alleged suspicious business. The special thing is that his name had also come up as a whistleblower in the Toshakhana case to Imran Khan, which brought him closer to the power of Pakistan.

Who is Umar Farooq Zaheer?

Omar Farooq Zaheer was born in Oslo to parents of Sialkot origin. He describes himself as a businessman, investor and entrepreneur and currently lives in Dubai. Norwegian agencies consider him a fugitive linked to serious financial crimes, while in Pakistan he has been honored for his public role and bringing in foreign investment.

When was he in the criminal list for the first time? joined?

According to VG report, Zaheer’s first case dates back to 2003, when an Oslo court convicted him in an airline ticket scam involving his family’s travel agency and sentenced him to one year in prison. The court had called it a planned crime. However, Zaheer did not appear in court during the sentencing and left Norway. This punishment automatically ended after 10 years.

What is the case against Zaheer in Norway?

After this, since 2010, the Norwegian Police is searching for him in a major fraud and money laundering case to Nordea Bank. It is alleged that about 60 million Norwegian kroner was embezzled in this case. Prosecutors have repeatedly sought his arrest and extradition, but Zaheer has always denied the charges and has said he has not visited Norway since 2005.

What is the case against Zaheer in Switzerland?

In Switzerland too, in 2004, he was accused of defrauding about 20 million dollars by creating a fake bank in Zurich. One of his business associates was convicted in this case, while Zaheer was not arrested. Later this case was closed due to expiry of the time limit.

In 2015, VG also linked him to a $510 million energy deal involving Dubai’s Ameri Group with the government of Ghana. However, there was controversy regarding his role in this deal and no direct criminal conviction was proved.

How did the case get clean chit in Pakistan?

According to a report in ‘Dawn’, following the allegations of his ex-wife in 2020, Pakistan’s investigating agency FIA had registered a case against him and an Interpol red notice was also issued. But in 2022, Pakistan withdrew its request, after which the red notice was removed and the investigation was also closed due to lack of evidence.

Why did you get the prize in Pakistan?

In March 2025, Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari honored him with ‘Hilal-e-Imtiaz’. This honor was given to him for bringing investments worth about 700 million dollars in sectors like infrastructure, IT, logistics and energy. However, a report in ‘Express Tribune’ said that he also received this honor because of his role as a whistleblower in the Toshakhana case, in which Imran Khan is accused of selling government gifts.

In April 2025, a Pakistani court ruled in Zaheer’s favor in a defamation case against VG’s editor and reporter and ordered him to pay damages, although VG has not accepted this decision. Amidst all these incidents, Zaheer’s presence with JD Vance and Steve Witkoff in Islamabad on April 11 has raised many questions. It is not clear whether he was part of an official delegation or was present there personally.