Sindh seeks global action against absconding Norwegian journalist in fraud case

The Government of Sindh has urged the Ministry of Interior to issue a red warrant against Norwegian journalist Rolf J. Wideroe in connection with a corruption case registered in Shaheed Benazirabad involving approximately Rs10 million.

According to an official letter issued by the Home Department on April 23, 2026, the provincial government has previously raised the matter with federal authorities, including communications sent in November 2022, 2024 and 2025.

The letter identified Wideroe as the chief editor of Norway’s tabloid Verdens Gang (VG).

A criminal case bearing No. 222/2015 was registered against him for depriving a Pakistani citizen, Maqsood Ali, of Rs10 million by making a false promise of getting him a Norwegian passport during his visit to Nawabshah, Pakistan.

Sindh Police have confirmed that they continue to look for Wideroe, who fraudulently took Rs10 million from Maqsood Ali of Nawabshah, promising to give him Norwegian immigration papers.

Maqsood Ali had registered a complaint against Wideroe on January 14, 2016 at the Dhamrah Road Police Station, Nawabshah, but he had left Pakistan by that time.

According to the Sindh Police and the publicly available record, Wideroe was visiting Pakistan on a journalist visa when he committed the alleged fraud of theft by deception.

According to the police record, Maqsood Ali, s/o Abdul Ghafoor Arain, lodged an FIR at Dhamrah Road Police Station and nominated Wideroe as the accused who took Rs10 million in the presence of eyewitnesses from the Pakistani national for a Norwegian passport but “committed cheating and criminal breach of trust”.

After registration of the FIR and non-compliance by the Norwegian national, the Court of the Civil Judge & Judicial Magistrate-III Nawabshah issued Non-Bailable Arrest Warrants (NBWs) against Wideroe, declaring him an absconder of Pakistani laws.

Roshan Ali Bhugio, Civil Judge and Judicial Magistrate-III, Nawabshah, issued both the non-bailable warrant of arrest (NWA) and execution of the same warrant in “The State vs Raolf J. Winderoe” case on February 27, 2016. Judge Roshan Ali Bhugio had ordered the arrest of Wideroe in the fraud case against him.

The police told the judge at the time of obtaining the NBWs that the arrest warrants were not executed because the absconder remains at large and has refused to cooperate with the Pakistani law enforcement. The police told the court that “after committing the crime and after issuance of his NBW, Mr Rolf J. Wideroe has left Pakistan and absconded to his native country, Norway, where he is still concealing himself from the arrest”.

A report into the case dated February 27, 2016 by the Inspector General of Police, Shaheed Benazir Abad Range, stated that the accused had been declared an absconder in the FIR No: 222/2015 u/s 420, 406, 506/2 PPC.

Investigation revealed that Rolf John Wideroe has not returned to Pakistan since then to cooperate with the Pakistani authorities, despite several requests, and Maqsood Ali says Rolf J. Wideroe has not returned his money, leaving him destitute and bankrupt.

Rolf J. Wideroe was declared a proclaimed offender by a court over his deliberate failure to appear before the court for publishing a false and defamatory story.