Umar Farooq Zahoor Age, Girlfriend, Wife, Children, Family, Biography » StarsUnfolded

Some Lesser Known Facts About Umar Farooq Zahoor

• Umar Farooq Zahoor was born in Oslo Norway to a Pakistani parent, who were originally from Sialkot. Before moving to middle east, Umar grew up and studied in Oslo.

• He belongs to one of the largest mafia families of Norway.

• At the age of 18, Farooq started his professional career by starting a travel company, and operated his business in Switzerland, Mexico, Dubai and Egypt, among other places.

• In an interview Umar mentioned that within a span of few years his business became successful, and that led to his interest in business and investments.

• In 2000, through his travel agency, Zahoor fraudently took tickets worth over 15 million NOK.

• In 2003, Farooq was sentenced to one year in prison for embezzling airline tickets. however, he didn’t show up for sentencing and left Norway soon after and the sentence later lapsed after 10 years.

• In 2003, Zahoor founded a fake bank named, Banque Internationale Ltd. in Switzerland with Shaun Gregory Morgan who was from New Zealand.

• In 2004, Umar Farooq Zahoor was arrested in Pakistan, after a complaint by a Turkish businessman and politician, Imtiaz Ahmed Sheikh. He then moved to Dubai and joined Ameri Group there.

• In 2006, Zahoor got married to a Pakistani actress Sofia Mirza. The couple later had twin daughters in 2007.

• Unfortunately in 2009, they got divorced. After their divorce, his wife was granted custody of the twins. Later, for fear that Zahoor would take the daughters out of Pakistan the children were put on a no-fly list to prevent them from leaving the country. In the same year, his wife publiclly clamied that he kidnapped the daughters and took them out of Pakistan by making their fake passports.

• In 2010, Umar Zahoor had become the fugitive wanted by Interpol for a number of charges. In the same year, the Supreme Court of Norway issued an arrest warrants for Umar, involving money laundering in connection with one of Norway’s biggest banks.

• In 2013, it was reported that Zahoor became engaged to Pakistani actress Veena Malik.

• In 2015, Farooq was the key person involved in discussions around a $510 million power deal with Ameri Group and Government of Ghana. At Ameri, his work also involved in helping the company sign and manage deals in big industries such as oil and gas, energy and power, infrastructure projects and real estate.

• In November 2022, Zahoor acme into news, when he claimed that Graff wristwatch, gifted to former prime minister of Pakistan Imran Khan by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman was sold by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government for US$2 million

• Later, Imran Khan admitted that during his time in the cabinet, he sold some of official gifts including that watch. Khan added that he will take legal action in an international court against Umar Zahoor and Jang Group over these allegations.

• In August 2023, the President of Equatorial Guinea Teodoro, Obiang Nguema Mbasogo awarded Umar with a medal.

• Despite many allegations in Europe, Zahoor’s image in Pakistan has been markedly different. In Pakistan, he is known to bring a volume of foreign direct investment (FDI).

• On 14 August 2024, on Independence Day of Pakistan, Umar Farooq was awarded with Hilal-e-Imtiaz, by President Asif Ali Zardari for his role in the Toshakhana reference case against Imran Khan.
  

  Umar Farooq Zahoor, when he was receiving Hilal-e-Imtiaz from President Asif Ali Zardari

• In March 2025, he was awarded again with Hilal-e-Imtiaz, for his role in facilitating foreign investments worth $700 million across sectors such as infrastructure, IT, logistics, and energy.

• On 14 August 2025, Umar was awarded for the third time with Hilal-e-Imtiaz for his role during the 2025 India–Pakistan conflict (Operation Sindoor).

• In April 2026, Umar Farooq Zahoor came into international news when Special Envoy Steve Witkoff introduced Zahoor to the Vice President J.D .Vance as part of the Pakistani delegation during the Islamabad Talks.
  

  A viral photo in which Umar Farooq Zahoor when interacting with USA’s Vice President J.D. Vance

• Along with his business work, Umar is also known for his philanthropy work. The Intergovernmental Institution for the use of Micro-Algae Spirulina Against Malnutrition appointed him to promote spirulina (a nutrient-rich food) as a way to fight malnutrition, especially in poorer countries.

• During 2010s, he served as an “ambassador-at-large” for Liberia, where he worked mainly on economic diplomacy.