India (Pakistan) - Karachi

Karachi, situated on the shores of the Arabian Sea, is a major seaport and industrial and transit hub in modern-day Pakistan.  On 13th August 1916, Cyril Sladden wrote a letter from the Carlton Hotel, Karachi.  He found the hotel to be quite comfortable by Indian standards, but was not too impressed by Karachi itself.

Karachi's importance as a gateway to British India increased in 1911 when the capital was moved from Calcutta to Delhi. Karachi was an important military base during the First World War because it was the first British Raj port of call for ships coming through the Suez Canal and was the gateway to Afghanistan and the Russian Empire.

When independence was gained in 1947, Karachi became capital of the new country of Pakistan.  It served as capital until 1958.