A Pakistan court has issued notices to a right-wing Norway tabloid and its journalist for publishing a false and defamatory story on Pakistani-origin UAE businessman Umar Farooq Zahoor.
Additional District and Session court in Ferozwala has summoned Chief Editor of the Nowegian tabloid Verdens Gang (VG), its reporter Wold. J. Wideroe and a Pakistani publication that reprinted the same false story.
The notices have been served by the court on the three defendants to appear before the court in Mr Zahoor’s defamation case on 17 December 20204 or action will be taken against the accused ex-parte. The notices have been served already in Norway at the anti-immigration and right-wing tabloid’s address.
The case says: “The defendants in collusion with each other have been running a malicious campaign against the plaintiff since long for his religion and race.
It will not be out of place to mention here that the aforesaid VG Tabloid is known for publishing anti-Islam and anti-Pakistani content and the plaintiff has been the victim of the defendants since long as they are pressurizing and blackmailing the plaintiff as the plaintiff is suffering the propaganda of the defendants No.2&3, but now they have accedes all the limits.
“That the defendants No.2&3 have been targeting the plaintiff with malicious intent for the last fifteen years by publishing defamatory articles now and then. The defendants have also been witch hunting the plaintiff since a long period due to the main reason for organizing the false campaign is Islam phobia, racism and personal score against the plaintiff.”
The claim seeks a total of Rs.605,000,000 from the defendants for causing harm to the reputation of Mr Umar Farooq Zahoor, who is a well-known business figure in the Middle East.
Umar Farooq announced defamation case in September last year after the tabloid accused that the state of Pakistan had awarded him with the Hilal-e-Pakistan for his role in Toshakhana case
