Dawn Images

We know, we know, it’s hard to romanticise Karachi with its potholes and infrastructural neglect. But that’s not what Ayeza Khan was trying to do when she stepped into the role of a tour guide, taking her cousin on a whirlwind trip through the city’s hidden treasures.

In the process, she photographed the city’s heritage buildings, libraries, churches and marketplaces, sharing them with her followers on Instagram.

“Guiding our cousin through the hidden gems of my beloved city on his first visit to Pakistan was both rewarding and heartbreaking,” she wrote. “Rewarding, because Karachi’s history is unbelievably rich and beautiful — heartbreaking, because so much of it is being destroyed. This can’t be right. If I can be of any help in preserving these treasures and protecting Karachi’s heritage, I’d love to connect with the right people.”

St. Patrick’s Cathedral

Among the highlights of her tour were two striking pictures of St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Situated on Shahrah-e-Iraq near Empress Market, the church was built in 1881 in the Gothic Revival style, with the capacity to accommodate up to 1,500 worshippers.

In its courtyard stands the Monument to Christ the King, constructed in 1931. The cathedral remains one of Karachi’s most prominent religious and architectural landmarks, quietly carrying over a century of history within its stone walls.

Empress Market

Khan also shared a glimpse of her stop at Empress Market, one of Karachi’s busiest and most historic marketplaces.

Built between 1884 and 1889 during the British Raj, the market is known for its striking Gothic architecture and houses hundreds of stalls selling everything from fresh produce and spices to textiles and pets.

The site has a sombre history. It was originally used by the British to execute participants of the 1857 Sepoy Mutiny. Today, it stands as both a reminder of colonial legacies and a hub of everyday Karachi life.

Frere Hall and its treasures

The actor’s tour wouldn’t have been complete without a stop at Frere Hall, the 19th-century Venetian Gothic landmark that once served as Karachi’s town hall.

Constructed in 1863 to honour British administrator Sir Henry Bartle Frere, the building today functions as a public library and cultural hub.

Its ceiling mural by Sadequain remains one of the city’s most iconic works of art, while the surrounding Bagh-e-Jinnah lawns offer respite from the urban sprawl.

Inside, Khan shared a series of images from the Frere Hall library.

These included shelves lined with ageing tomes, a 1762 edition of A Journey from St. Petersburgh in Russia to Ispahan in Persia by John Bell, a worn copy of Funk & Wagnalls’ New “Standard” Dictionary, and even a 1953 issue of Dawn!

She also photographed a volume of Japanese poetry translated by Arthur Waley, highlighting the eclectic and layered collection the library houses.

Karachi’s layered identity

By guiding her cousin, and, by extension, her social media audience, through Karachi’s churches, markets and libraries, Khan has spotlighted not only the city’s history but also the urgency to help preserve it.

Karachi is both “rewarding” and, in its current state, “heartbreaking”, as Khan said. It is a city where fragments of colonial architecture, sacred spaces and cultural heritage survive against the odds. As its past comes into focus, reminding us that beneath the city’s chaos lie stories worth remembering, we should also remember that they’re worth saving.