The fabled Koh-i-noor diamond, which has been in the possession of the British Royal Family since 1850, was once the largest known diamond in the world.
It is one of the centrepieces of the Crown Jewels.
For decades, India has claimed that the 105-carat Koh-i-Noor was stolen.
Now Pakistan is making a similar claim with one lawyer naming the Queen as a respondent in a court petition which seeks the return of the gem.
Jawaid Iqbal Jafree’s petition argues that the diamond was taken “forcibly and under duress” from Daleep Singh, the grandson of Maharaja Ranjeet Singh in an area that became part of Pakistan following partition in 1947.
"Now it should be returned to Pakistan," he said. "Her Majesty the Queen will rise in the highest public interest with facilitating honest disposal and transferring the possession of the Koh-i-noor diamond which was illegally taken," Mr Jafree said in his petition,
"Koh-i-noor was not legitimately acquired. Grabbing and snatching it was a private, illegal act which is justified by no law."
"Koh-i-noor diamond was cultural heritage of Punjab province and its citizens owned it in fact."
Its presentation to Queen Victoria in 1850 had been arranged by Britain’s colonial governor-general of India. At the time, it was the largest diamond in the world.
The Koh-i-noor was set into a crown which was last worn by the Queen Mother at her coronation in 1936. It forms part of the Crown Jewels display at the Tower of London (pictured).
Mr Jafree has been campaigning for fifty years for the return of the jewel.
The court has not yet admitted the petition for hearing.
Comments
* The Koh-i-noor has been CUTTED and handicrafted...
* what about the treasures stolen from Juish people during the war and hided in Swiss banks ?
* what about the stolen paintings the nazis stocked in Berlin ?
* and are all the paintings in the Hermitage koosher ?
* and where is the third part of the God's Lam painting from Ghent's St-Baafs cathedral ?
We have had this nonsense from the Greeks and their Elgin Marbles ... at the time the temple was a Turkish ammunition store. One wrong cigarette and the hill itself would not exist today, let alone the Parthenon !
And today ISIL is selling off Syrian historical valuables - surely the emphasis should be on stopping this ? Who is buying them?