Crumbling colonial splendour in Karachi

More than 70 years after Pakistan's foundation, architectural jewels dating from the British colonial era are being torn down – especially in the economic metropolis of Karachi, many buildings are threatened by the demolition ball. Impressions by Syed Raza Hassan and Akhtar Soomro

The Saddar district of Karachi has probably the largest concentration of British architecture from the colonial period. In the eastern part of the city stands the legendary old colonial jail, which has been declared a heritage site by the Sindh provinceʹs antiquities department. So far, more than 1,700 premises have been listed as heritage sites by the antiquities department
The Jahangir Kothari Parade, once an impressive British heritage site, is now dwarfed by a maze of flyovers and Pakistanʹs tallest building
A British colonial balcony seen on a building in downtown Karachi
A rickshaw passes by the Edulji Dinshaw Dispensary. The Sindh Cultural Heritage Preservation Act, introduced in 1994, has helped to legally protect structures of historical importance. But the courts today also have much to do with urban developers trying to circumvent this protection
Rapid urbanisation has led to widespread destruction, especially in the old city areas, where more profitable multi-storey residential buildings have been built. But in the midst of the new concrete there are still remnants of the colonial heritage to be seen, often recognisable by the degree of neglect
Integrated fire escape on a building built in the British colonial style
Tracing a colonial past: the Max Denso Hall and Library in Karachi
Many colonial structures, weathered by the salty air, open the door to Karachi’s colonial scars, researchers say, pointing out that many of the original owners were among millions of Muslim and Hindu refugees who fled their homes amid communal and religious violence that accompanied the end of British rule in India in 1947 and the creation of Pakistan
A pair of lions on the columns of an old building in the heart of Karachi
The Imperial Customs House from the colonial era, which has been restored to its former glory. Such elaborate restoration projects have become extremely rare in Karachi, however – these days it is more often a question of demolishing the old in favour of redevelopment