The website http://gujratlink.com/ has recently posted an advertisement for the so-called “Pakistan Norway Business Forum/PNBF”, under the caption “Norwegian NGOs in Pakistan”. The advertisement includes a picture of the previous Norwegian Ambassador to Pakistan, H. E. Mr. Robert Kvile, and ascribes to him the statement “The PNBF has the full support of myself and the Norwegian Embassy in Islamabad”. This message is not in conformity with reality, the Embassy has not approved the text and H. E. Mr. Robert Kvile left Pakistan some time ago, at the end of his tour of duty.
The “Pakistan Norway Business Forum” Is a company registered in Stavanger, Norway, not a Norwegian NGO. The company’s stockholders are listed as unknown, and the company has not published accounts. The contact person of the company is listed as Atilla Amir Iftikhar.
The Pakistan Norway Business Forum is not registered as an NGO in Norway or in Pakistan. The Embassy has no dealings with the PNBF or the contact person, Mr. Iftikhar.
The PNBF advertisement is doubly misleading. It also carries a notice about the so-called “Norwegian Property Investment Network/NPIN” directly over the picture of the previous Norwegian Ambassador. In the advertisement, Mr. Iftikhar’s picture is shown directly under the picture of the previous Ambassador, with the sub-title “Chairman PNBF”. This juxtaposition of messages implies that the previous Ambassador endorses the NPIN and that he is associated with Mr. Iftikhar’s chairmanship of PNBF. The suggested implications are false.
The Embassy broke off all contacts with Mr. Iftikhar, after he published a brochure about NPIN containing misrepresentations of Embassy procedures.
The Norwegian Embassy, however, welcomes all legitimate initiatives to strengthen commercial ties between Pakistan and Norway.