Mohatta Palace faces threats in Pakistan amid rapid urban expansion

Mohatta Palace, an architectural marvel in Karachi, Pakistan, stands as a poignant symbol of the city's rich and diverse history.

The palace, with its stained glass windows, grand staircase, and richly decorated interiors, stands as a jewel in Karachi, a sprawling Pakistani metropolis of 20 million. Amidst the peacocks roaming its lawns and the distant hum of construction and traffic, the palace offers a serene escape. Its pink stone features—balustrades, domes, and parapets—evoke the grandeur of Rajasthan in northern India, reflecting a bygone era when Muslims and Hindus coexisted in this port city, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.  

However, in a city where land is scarce and development is aggressive, historical treasures like Mohatta Palace face constant threats. The palace, which has survived efforts to convert it into a dental college and is embroiled in a prolonged lawsuit over its ownership, continues to be at risk from demolition, encroachment, neglect, fragmented conservation laws, and vandalism. It remained abandoned for nearly 20 years before reopening as a museum in 1999.  

Situated in the prime real estate of Old Clifton, surrounded by mansions, businesses, and upscale restaurants, the land beneath Mohatta Palace is highly sought after. Faisal Siddiqi, the palace's lawyer, notes, “It demonstrates that greed often outweighs the value of heritage.” With Karachi's population expanding by around two per cent annually and diverse communities vying for space, the preservation of historic sites struggles to gain traction.   For many Pakistanis, the palace represents their best glimpse of the architectural beauty of Rajasthan, as travel restrictions and bureaucratic hurdles limit cross-border movement for leisure, study, or work.

Heba Hashmi, a heritage manager and maritime archaeologist, observes that Karachi’s multicultural history makes it more challenging to find preservation advocates compared to cities like Lahore, which is more closely linked to the Muslim Mughal Empire. Heba Hashmi, a heritage manager and maritime archaeologist, noted, “In a city as socially fragmented as Karachi, achieving the level of organic local support required to prioritize government investment in preservation efforts is nearly impossible.”   Mohatta Palace stands as a testament to Karachi’s diverse history. Built in the 1920s by Hindu entrepreneur Shivratan Mohatta, it was designed as a coastal retreat for his ailing wife to enjoy the sea breeze.

The distinctive pink stone used in its construction was transported from Jodhpur, India, by hundreds of donkey carts.   After the partition of India and Pakistan in 1947, Mohatta left the city, and the palace briefly served as the Foreign Ministry’s residence. It later became the home of Fatima Jinnah, the sister of Pakistan’s first leader and a notable politician. Following her death, the building was transferred to her sister Shirin, but after Shirin’s passing in 1980, a legal dispute over her estate led to the palace being sealed.