The famed Kohinoor diamond cannot be brought back to Pakistan as it was handed over to the UK under the ‘Treaty of lahore’ in 1849, the provincial Punjab Government has informed the high court here. “Maharaja Ranjeet Singh had inked the agreement with the East India Company in 1849 under which the precious diamond was given to the UK. Therefore, the UK Government cannot be approached for return of the diamond,” a law officer of the provincial Government told the court on Tuesday
The lahore High Court was hearing a plea seeking direction for the Pakistan Government to bring back the Kohinoor which India has also been trying to get from the UK for years.
Petitioner Barrister Javed Iqbal Jaffrey, however, opposed the Government’s plea, arguing, “both Governments were not authorised under the law of the land to sign such an agreement”.
Justice Khalid Mahmood Khan directed the Government’s counsel to submit a copy of the agreement between the then ruler Ranjeet Singh and the East India Company on the next hearing on May 2.
In his plea, Jaffrey has alleged that Britain had snatched the diamond from Daleep Singh, grandson of Ranjeet Singh and taken it to the UK.