After losing claim on Nizam’s fund, Pakistan contemplating action

London, Oct 03: Pakistan says that it is examining all aspects of the UK court's verdict that rejected its claims over 35 million pounds that belonged to the Nizam of Hyderabad. We will take further action in the light of the legal advice received, the Pakistan Foreign Office said.

Pakistan said that the judge rejects the longstanding claims of the two major parties and upholds the claims of the heirs of Nizam of Hyderabad. "The ruling does not take into account the historical context of the transfer when India illegally annexed Hyderabad in violation of International Law and all civilized norms, leading the Nizam of Hyderabad to make desperate efforts to defend his people and the state from Indian invasion," Pakistan also said.

The foreign office further said, "the ruling does not take into account the historical context of the transfer when India illegally annexed Hyderabad in violation of International Law and all civilized norms, leading the Nizam of Hyderabad to make desperate efforts to defend his people and the state from Indian invasion."

The High Court of England and Wales had ruled in India's favour and the two descendants of the late 7th Nizam of Hyderabad, who had sent 1 million pounds to a London in 1948.

Pakistan had claimed that the money on the ground was a payment for supplying arms to the state of Hyderabad during the annexation in 1948. The Nizam had transferred the money to the then Pakistan ambassador in London for safekeeping. The amount continued to remain in the National Westminster Bank in London. The amount today is estimated at 35 million pounds.

The court said that although the Government of Hyderabad was involved in the purchase of weapons in order to resist what the Nizam saw as attempts by India to forcibly annex Hyderabad, and although the second account was used to pay for some of these weapons, the court does not consider that the transfer had anything to do with the purchase of the weapons or the compensation of Pakistan for the purchase of weapons.

"It is appropriate to record that the Nizam's successor in the title can be no-one other than the Princes or India...I have seen no hint of the possibility of any further claimant to the Fund, beyond the Princes and India, the judge also said.

"In these circumstances, Nizam VII was beneficially entitled to the Fund and those claiming in right of Nizam VII - the Princes and India - are entitled to have the sum paid out to their order. I will leave it to the parties to frame an appropriate form of order for my approval," the court also ruled.