Stained glass windows, a sweeping staircase and embellished interiors make Mohatta Palace a gem in Karachi, a Pakistani megacity of 20 million people. Peacocks roam the lawn and the sounds of construction and traffic melt away as visitors enter the grounds.

Stained glass windows, a sweeping staircase and embellished interiors make Mohatta Palace a gem in Karachi, a Pakistani megacity of 20 million people.

Mohatta Palace survives as an enduring gem of pre-partition Karachi. But how much longer can it withstand the tide of urban development? Stained glass windows, a sweeping staircase and embellished interiors make Mohatta Palace a gem in Karachi,