A petition demanding the return of the Koh-i-Noor diamond, one of the British Royal Family's Crown Jewels, has been filed in a Pakistan court, reports say, according to BBc News.

The 105-carat diamond fell into British hands in 1849 when the East India Company annexed the region of Punjab.

The lawyer behind the suit told Reuters the gem was part of Punjab's heritage. During Independence in 1947 Punjab was split between India and the new nation of Pakistan. The court has yet to admit the case.

Last month an Indian pressure group reportedly instructed lawyers to begin legal proceedings in the High Court in London to demand the return of the jewel.

Over the years politicians in India have urged the return of the diamond to what they see as its rightful home.

In 2010 David Cameron rejected calls for the diamond to be returned to India, saying such a move would set an unworkable precedent. It was worn by the late Queen Mother and was displayed on top of her crown when her coffin lay in state after her death in 2002.

Experts say its ownership has changed many times and includes Mughal princes, Persian warriors, Afghan rulers and Punjabi Maharajas.

The court petition, lodged in Lahore by Javed Iqbal Jaffry, names Queen Elizabeth II as a respondent.