Islamabad ( ) Nawab of Junagadh, Nawab Ali Murtaza Khanji, visited the Islamabad Bar Association and addressed the legal community on the issue of Junagadh. While condemning the tragic bomb blast outside the Islamabad district courts, he expressed profound grief over the martyrdom of lawyers and citizens. On this occasion, the Nawab briefed the lawyers in detail on the legal status and historical facts regarding the State of Junagadh.
He stated that Junagadh’s accession to Pakistan is a historical reality that must be recognized under international law. He reaffirmed his commitment to presenting the case of Junagadh at global forums to ensure the world is informed of the true facts. Nawab Ali Murtaza Khanji appealed to the legal fraternity to play their role in highlighting Junagadh’s case at various legal and international platforms so that justice and historical truth can be acknowledged globally.
He added that the case of Junagadh is not merely about a region, it is a matter of Pakistan’s completion and historical justice, a responsibility every patriotic Pakistani must uphold.
These views were expressed by the speakers at a seminar organized by the Islamabad Bar Association. Speakers included the Nawab of Junagadh, Nawab Ali Murtaza Khanji; Chaudhry Manzoor Hussain Jajja, Secretary General Islamabad High Court Bar Association; Advocate Asif Tanvir Awan, International Lawyer; and Khurshid Butt, Member Islamabad Bar Council.
The purpose of the seminar was to highlight the issue of Junagadh before young lawyers so that the matter can be kept alive. The speakers further emphasized that research on the Junagadh issue should be conducted in universities to effectively counter Indian propaganda online, preserve the historical and legal claim of the State of Junagadh, and raise public awareness. According to international law, the Nawab of Junagadh holds the status of a “Sovereign in Exile,” a legal position that still stands.
Nawab Ali Murtaza Khanji stated that the State of Junagadh remained part of Pakistan for more than one and a half months, as on 15 September 1947, the lawful and sovereign ruler, Nawab Mahabat Khanji, signed the Instrument of Accession with Pakistan’s first Governor General, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Junagadh holds the distinction of being the first princely state to formally accede to Pakistan after the Partition of India.
He further noted that Pakistan’s Foreign Minister raised the matter before the United Nations General Assembly in February and March 1948. Similarly, on 29 May 1951, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterated that “the State of Jammu & Kashmir and the State of Junagadh are unresolved disputes before the United Nations, and the Government of Pakistan does not recognize India’s occupation of these territories.”
The speakers paid tribute to the late former Nawab of Junagadh, Nawab Muhammad Jehangir Khanji, for his efforts in keeping the Junagadh issue alive and bringing it to public attention.
In conclusion, the speakers stressed that the entire Pakistani nation especially the media, educational institutions, civil society, and other stakeholders must play their role in ensuring that the issue of Junagadh remains prominent at national and international levels.
