The Lahore High Court in Pakistan serves as a remarkable example of British South Asian colonial architecture. Located in the British-built quarters of the country’s second-largest city, the structure blends Mughal elements, such as curly arches framing porticos, with Gothic details emerging through red bricks baked in kilns on the city’s outskirts. Inside, the grounds fill with busy lawyers dressed in traditional uniforms of white shirts and black suits as they rush between courtrooms. During breaks, these legal professionals gather in the main square to rest, enjoy cups of tea, and converse beneath the shade of banyan trees. This vibrant green space provides a stark contrast to the rest of Lahore, which often struggles with heavy pollution and a lack of trees outside of elite neighborhoods. This disparity highlights a wider trend across Pakistan, where resources and environmental standards often differ significantly between ordinary citizens and those who hold power.
Source: npr.org
