Can't wish away history by demolishing buildings: Imran Khan on Jinnah House dispute

NEW DELHI: Pakistani cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan on Thursday criticized a BJP legislator's demands to demolish the historic Jinnah House in Mumbai and build in a culture centre in its place.

"Indian parliamentarians' calls to demolish Jinnah House unfortunate and disturbing. History cannot be wished away by demolishing buildings," the Tehreek-e-Insaf chief said in a tweet.



His own frosty relations with the ruling party notwithstanding, Khan was echoing the Pakistan government's view that India should "respect the ownership rights of the government of Pakistan" on the disputed property.

Jinnah House, once owned by Pakistan's founding father

Muhammad Ali Jinnah

, has been controlled by the Indian government since the partition and has long been a bone of contention between the two countries.

The lavish bungalow in Mumbai once again made headlines last week when BJP MP Mangal Prabhat Lodha urged the government to declare the Jinnah House "enemy property", and hand over the building to the Maharashtra state.

"The Jinnah residence in south Mumbai was the place from where the conspiracy of the Partition was hatched. Jinnah House is a symbol of the partition. The structure should be demolished," Lodha had said.

Objecting to the BJP lawmaker's remarks, Pakistan reproached the Indian government for not handing over the property and beseeched the authorities to ensure its safety.

"Pakistan has repeatedly expressed its desire to take possession of the property. The government of India should respect the ownership rights of the government of Pakistan in this regard. We also expect that the Indian government will fulfil its obligation of protecting that property and its upkeep," Pakistan's foreign office spokesperson

Nafees Zakaria

said last week.

India spends millions of rupees on the upkeep of the property, which is spread over 2.5 acres in the upscale Malabar Hill area and estimated to be worth about $400 million. There has been a long-standing proposal to set up a South Asian Centre for Arts and Culture within the premises.

Jinnah's daughter Dina Wadia, who remained in India, is engaged in a separate legal battle with the Centre over the property.