Umar Farooq Zahoor has been absolved of charges related to fake CNIC, kidnapping of his own twin daughters, and passport offenses, according to the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) report.
The JIT, comprising three senior FIA directors, was tasked with investigating various allegations against Dubai-based businessman Umar Farooq Zahoor, including the kidnapping of his daughters Zainab Umar and Zuhaira Umar. The report conclusively exonerates Umar Farooq Zahoor, citing a lack of direct or credible evidence linking him to the offenses.
The JIT findings affirm Umar Farooq Zahoor’s innocence, leading to his immediate discharge from the case with no need for further investigation. Previously declared a Proclaimed Offender, Umar Farooq contested the order’s validity in the Lahore High Court, prompting FIA Lahore to include his statement in the investigation. This resulted in the formation of the JIT, and on October 16, 2023, Umar Farooq Zahoor and his twin daughters appeared before the JIT at Islamabad International Airport.
Both Zainab Umar and Zuhaira Umar provided statements before the JIT, later reaffirming them before the Judicial Magistrate in Islamabad under section 164 CrPC. The teenagers vehemently denied being kidnapped or trafficked by their father, expressing contentment with their life in Dubai. They asserted that their father covers all their expenses, including education and health, and disassociated from their mother’s allegations. The twins expressed their desire to remain with their father, refuting the claims made by their mother, Khushbakht Mirza (Sophia Mirza in the showbiz industry).
In 2019, Khush Bakhat Mirza, Umar Farooq’s ex-wife, filed an application claiming marriage in 2006, the birth of twin daughters in 2007, and subsequent separation. Legal battles ensued over guardianship rights, with custody initially granted to Khush Bakht Mirza. However, in 2010, the UAE Shariah court awarded absolute custody to Umer Farooq Zahoor.
Investigations revealed that the FIA, prompted by Shahzad Akbar, initiated cases against Zahoor based on allegations from his ex-wife. The charges included kidnapping, fraud, and money laundering, amounting to 16 billion Rupees. Zahoor’s name was placed on the ECL, and non-bailable warrants were issued without legal requirements. His passport and CNIC were blacklisted, and Interpol Red Warrants were issued, violating INTERPOL rules.
Last year, Zahoor’s name was removed from the Interpol list, and he was cleared of all charges.
