Despite losing a defamation lawsuit filed by Dubai-based Pakistani origin businessman Umar Farooq Zahoor, Verdens Gang (VG), a Norwegian tabloid, has announced through its Chief of Staff Andreas Arnseth that the newspaper has no intention of paying any compensation.
According to a report published in Journalisten magazine, Arnseth stated: “We do not recognise the proceedings in Pakistan, and dispute that they have jurisdiction in this case. Nor have we been served with the judgment, as international law requires.”
It is relevant to recall that a court in Pakistan ruled that the chief editor of VG and its reporter Rolf John Widerøe deliberately defamed prominent businessman Zahoor and conducted a prolonged defamation campaign against him with the aim of causing him harm. The court further ordered the pair to pay Rs30 million in damages, in addition to covering Zahoor’s and his lawyers’ legal expenses.
Towards the end of the previous year, various Pakistani media outlets published articles indicating that a defamation lawsuit had been filed against VG, as per Google Translate.
“Now the newspaper has been convicted in a Pakistani court,” VG confirmed to Journalisten.
The lawsuit and the subsequent verdict are the latest developments in a long series of incidents that, according to VG, are interconnected within a single complex of cases.
“Over many years, there have been false reports, threats of lawsuits and threats of physical violence directed at VG journalist Rolf Widerøe,” VG informed the magazine in January.
Steiro confirmed to Journalisten on Monday that they were aware of the verdict but had not yet received it.
Conversely, Zahoor’s Norwegian lawyer, John Christian Elden, stated: “I am familiar with the verdict, but have not participated in the Pakistani legal process.”
He added: “This is about a financial balance between my client and VG for the damage VG has caused him, and must be settled directly between them.”
According to Pakistani media reports covering the lawsuit against VG, the initial claim against the newspaper amounted to Rs605 million, equivalent to just over 24 million Norwegian kroner.
However, Nettavisen reports that the compensation claim ultimately settled at around 3.7 million Norwegian kroner. The court has concluded that VG and Widerøe defamed Zahoor in articles published in Norway, writes Nettavisen.
