The grandchildren of the Nizam of Hyderabad, Mir Osman Ali Khan, are preparing to fight a legal battle against the governments of India and Pakistan to claim around £30 million lying frozen in the National Westminster Bank in London since 1948.
Nawab Mir Meraj Ali Khan and Moin Nawab, grandsons of the Nizam, and Nawab Mir Mahmood Ali, the husband of one of the Nizam’s granddaughters, said neither the Indian nor Pakistani governments have any right over the Nizam’s money. They said only the sons, daughters and grandchildren of Nizam VII could lay stake to the funds.
They were speaking at a press conference here following the April 11 decision of the Union Cabinet to pursue an out-of-court settlement with Pakistan and the heirs of the Nizam.
"The entire amount should be handed over to the legal heirs," the Nizam’s grandsons said. The Nizam had 16 sons and 17 daughters and there are nearly 200 legal heirs in all.
They claimed that the under the settlement being worked out between the two countries, the Indian government is claiming a 60 per cent share of the money and the Pakistan government 10 per cent. The Nizam’s family is to get 20 per cent.
"The money belongs to the Nizam. We will fight a legal battle if the two governments do not withdraw their claim," they said. However, they said they would wait until May 21, when Indian and Pakistani officials are to discuss the settlement.
The battlelines are also being drawn within the Nizam’s family. The grandsons rubbished as "false and fabricated" the claim of the Nizam’s grandson, Prince Mukarram Jah, and his ex-wife, Princess Esra, to the money. Prince Mukarram and Princess Esra said they would negotiate a settlement with the bank. "They are trying to create the impression that they are the only legal heirs," they said