Washington: Pakistan appears to be leveraging a web of lobbyists, intermediaries, and influential business and political figures to secure diplomatic opportunities, particularly in situations where Islamabad’s formal official channels either fail to deliver results or move too slowly, a report said on Friday.
According to a report in the US-based Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), Pakistan’s engagement with foreign powers is increasingly being characterised by some commentators as dependent on intermediaries – projected as fixers – “individuals whose main asset is access to political and business elites abroad”.
The report highlighted that Umar Farooq Zahoor, a Norwegian-born Pakistani businessman, was awarded the Hilal-e-Imtiaz, one of Pakistan’s highest civilian honours, in recognition of his role in facilitating foreign investment.
Citing the Norwegian tabloid Verdens Gang, it added that Norwegian police described Zahoor “as one of the main men behind one of the biggest bank frauds in Norway”.
The outlet also reported that Zahoor has allegedly been wanted by Swiss police for several years after establishing a false bank.
“In 2025, a court in Pakistan has ruled that the chief editor of Verdens Gang and its reporter Rolf John Wideroe had defamed Zahoor and ran a long defamation campaign against him in order to harm him,” MEMRI mentioned.
Last month, Verdens Gang reported, citing Norwegian State Attorney Carl Graff Hartmann, that Zahoor was still wanted in connection with a 2010 fraud case linked to Nordea Bank involving more than 60 million Norwegian kroner ($6.5 million).
The MEMRI report noted that the Norwegian newspaper raised questions over Zahoor’s appearance alongside US Vice President J D Vance during a visit to Islamabad on April 11, with footage showing US Special Envoy to the Middle East and Special Envoy for Peace Missions, Steve Witkoff, introducing Zahoor to the Vice President despite his wanted status in Norway.
It further cited other media reports revealing that Pakistan awarded Washington-based advisory and strategic communications firm Qorvis a $150,000 monthly contract for strategic communications to promote the country’s “culture, people, economy and history”.
As per an agreement reached on May 30, the report said that Qorvis was paid to “craft Pakistan’s overarching narrative, reflecting its gracious culture, the aspirations and indomitable spirit of its people, and its bright undeniable future, manifesting in its rapidly transforming economy and incorporating Pakistan’s proud history and rich legacy”.
Highlighting the wider implications of Pakistan’s increasing dependence on intermediaries, the report said, “That may produce short-term gains: a meeting, a trade opening, a minerals deal, a crypto tie-up, a diplomatic photo opportunity, even a temporary political reset. But it also reveals a deeper weakness. A state that increasingly treats access as a substitute for legitimacy risks confusing fixers with statesmen.”
(IANS)
