Pakistani Lawyer Files Petition for Return of Koh-i-noor Crown Jewels Diamond

The Koh-i-noor diamond is set in the state crown of Queen Mary,
consort of George V, and last worn by the Queen Mother.

THE GUARDIAN: Gem set in crown last worn by Queen’s mother belongs to Punjab province and was forcibly taken by British colonialists, says petitioner in Lahore

A lawyer in Pakistan has filed a court petition seeking the return of a diamond he says Britain forced India to hand over in colonial times.

Once the largest cut diamond in the world, the 105-carat Koh-i-noor is one of the crown jewels. It is set in a crown last worn by the Queen’s late mother during her coronation.

Lawyer Jawaid Iqbal Jafree filed the petition at the high court in Lahore on Wednesday naming Queen Elizabeth II as a respondent. The application asks that Britain hand back the diamond, now on display in the Tower of London.

India also has made regular requests for the jewel’s return, saying the Koh-i-noor is an integral part of the country’s history and culture. In 1850, Britain’s then colonial governor-general of India arranged for the huge diamond to be presented to Queen Victoria. » | Reuters | Thursday, December 3, 2015