Watching him walk towards us is a vision itself. The same slow, awkward walk, the same flowing black long hair, now filled with tinges of grey, the same haunted, round face, etched out with patches of line-work, the very same eyes, that then brimmed with secrets, now do the same.

We shake hands, he smiles -- the genuine one where you are actually happy to see someone -- and the madness--the divine one--starts all over again.

"Do you think I should wear something?" he asks excitedly.

"What?" I ask him.

"I have this silver earring, it would look very nice in the photographs," he replies.

I nod, and as I fiddle with the camera, the Professor goes back in to find the silver earring.

The day is hot, without a hint of a cloud as far as the eye can see. I and A, one of my students who actually found the Professor and stays regularly in touch with him, stand outside in the courtyard, which in turn leads to a huge garden where as I gather, old men come and sit in the evenings when it's a little cooler. Because it is midday, the courtyard and the garden are deserted. Orpheus Augustus Marcks a.k.a. Professor returns, wearing a huge silver earring in his left ear. "Should we start?"

Where to start?

Ten years ago, in the small and cozy auditorium of Shakir Ali Museum, I saw the Professor and was transfixed. There he was on the screen, in all his glory, eccentric or plain mad -- take your pick. What I saw then was Farjad Nabi's award-winning documentary, No One Believes the Professor, which Ali Halai later neatly summed up by writing, "No One Believes the Professor introduces Orpheus Augustus Marcks, a.k.a. Professor sahib: a poet, actor, philosopher, athlete, hopeful Oscar, Olympics and Nobel Prize winner who walks the line between genius and divine madness, drawing both jeers and admiration from his audience."

What I remember, however, was the enormous feeling of sadness of how people like the Professor are never actually accepted by the society. What is even sadder is the fact that the Professor, who once was supported by his sister, who died last year, now lives in an old home society, the Darul-Kafula, located near Bhatta Chowk.

But to be honest, in real life, the Professor exudes everything except sadness.

"Why don't we go outside," the Professor asks.

We are standing outside the small crammed room, filled with clothes and other daily routine items that he shares with another man. Once outside, he whispers, "I don't really like that man, he's very abusive and thinks he is a prince!" and laughs.

The Professor grumbles to himself, remembering dialogues and phrases once known by heart, twisting and turning the words, remembering old meanings and making new ones. And once he's ready and opens his mouth, the fact that it is very hot in the courtyard and that there are no clouds and that there is a feeling of unspoken sadness in the air, all of it vanishes and we are transfixed.

He is one, he is many. At one glance he is Shakespeare's King Lear, at another Marlowe's Doctor Faustus; then an evil king, his disgraced daughter and the servant from a forgotten Indian film. His eyes swirl with delight, his hands move, his body full of tension, the Professor is the epitome of fury and drama. When we finally came inside, to a sofa that seemed to have seen better days and a fan that whirled as slowly as the heat itself, the Professor shared many things, some real, some imagined, but those are not be told. What can be told as what he described about the process of acting.

"Acting is method or madness. An actor's job is to act forever and ever. It is a vision that some see and others do not. For me, acting is the beginning and end of life."

It is afternoon when we decide to leave. "Can you drop me to the chowk? I need to get some medicines," the Professor asks.

"Would you like to eat something?" I ask, as we climb the rickshaw.

"I don't want to eat anything, but I would like to have a glass of cold milk," he says and smiles. And as we leave him in the middle of the crowd and the shadows of the afternoon slowly encircle him, I know that I will meet anyone as interesting as him.

The thing to understand about the Professor is that he has always been a deeply individualistic man, an extremely well-read man, a teller of tall tales, a shaman of secrets, who only indulges when you are ready to play, in a world that jumps between the eccentric, the real, and the imagined. But where, it would be fun to believe that there are no demarcations between the three, that everything is blurred, there is. The Professor might be an eccentric man, but he is not insane.

Exhibition of new paintings by Shafique Farooqi at Hamail Art Gallery 79-C/1 M M Alam Road, Gulberg, Lahore, going on till May 25. Time: 6pm

Sonia Chundrigar's fearless loops and splatters are currently on show at The Drawing Room. For anyone who loves modern art, this is the show of a lifetime.

Workshop, titled 'Last Day: Performance and M`ise en Scene (Short Film Workshop)'. Venue: Maas-Laetaan Films, 9A3, Ahmad Block, Garden Town, Lahore. Fee: Rs 7500/-. Time: 5:00pm To 8:00pm. Date: Mon, 10 May 2010 To Fri, 21 May 2010.

Maas-Latetaan Films is a Film Company with its own in-house technical facilities which can cater to Line-Producing from Pre to Post Production. It takes up projects "to produce and direct everything from TV commercial to TV series, from music videos to mainstream feature films, short films and documentaries". The three-part workshop, which can be attended individually as well as booked as a package of three, trains production crew as well as actors. Participants are encouraged to screen their films in film festivals.

A visit to a historical site like Lahore Fort, Jehangir's Tomb or Shalimar Garden in Lahore would disappoint the visitors as they are greeted by the sight of graffiti and garbage along the boundary walls of these premises. Add to this the settlements that have spruced up over the years right next to these premises.

In many cases, houses are built right next to the walls of the protected sites. In fact, these walls are sometimes used as the rear walls of the houses the encroachers are built. This practice went on despite the fact that law strictly prohibits construction of structures within 200 feet of the protected premises.

It was in 2007 that the Supreme Court (SC) of Pakistan ordered the removal of encroachments around historical sites. A two-member bench comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and Justice M. Javed Buttar ordered the chief secretary of Punjab and the District Coordination Officer (DCO) Lahore to submit a detailed report in November, 2007 informing the court that historical monuments had been cleared of all kinds of encroachments.

Punjab Archaeology Department, sources say, they sought help from the revenue department and identified more than 400 areas in the Walled City. They say most of the encroachments that were within 200 feet of historical buildings were removed at that time.

Muhammad Ali, a resident of a house along the wall of Lahore, tells TNS that they had received notices for evacuation but they are doubtful that the government authorities would help them in relocating. He says the owners of residences at this place have ownership rights and electricity connections provided by Wapda. "We are not going to move till we are apprised of the evacuation plan that suits us and given proper compensation," he adds.

Shahbaz Khan, Director Punjab Archeology Department tells TNS that the government has taken strict action against the encroachments at heritage sites. About the deadline given by the Supreme Court, he says some is time required in this type of work. He says all the illegal occupiers of land around protected sites have been removed.

The problem, he says, is that they have to work out a mechanism on how to relocate the people who have ownership rights of the properties they are occupying. These people had proprietorship rights before the action was launched on the order of the apex court. He says the government is working on the project on how to relocate them to another place.

Shahbaz tells TNS there are 261 protected sites under the control of Punjab Archeology Department and 149 sites with the Federal Archeology Department. He says Jehangir's Tomb is with the federal archeology department who are taking care of encroachments there. He says the Antiquities Act of 1975 and Punjab Special Premises (Preservation), Ordinance, 1985 empower the federal and provincial governments respectively to take appropriate action against encroachers when needed.

The article 11 of Punjab Special Premises (Preservation), Ordinance states: "No development plan or scheme or new construction on, or within a distance of two hundred feet of a Special Premises shall be undertaken or executed except with the approval of the Government or a Committee. The same ordinances prescribes penalty for the violators. It says: "Whoever contravenes the provisions of this Ordinance or the rules shall be liable to imprisonment which may extend to one year or with fine or with both."

Shahbaz says Lahore Fort falls under the domain of the provincial and Jehangir's Tomb under the federal department. He tells TNS that the provincial archeology department was formed in 1987. The sites declared protected after this cut off date were given to Punjab Archeology department for conservation.

Air pollution is increasing because of the non-implementation of industrial and environmental laws

Unplanned industrialisation and urbanisation has turned Lahore into one of the most polluted cities of the country. Some of the residential areas have become commercial hubs, mostly with cottage and small industries. Due to the increasing sprawl of the city, the industrial areas that were established outside the city limits now constitute part of the city centre. Additionally, the increase in the number of motor vehicles has polluted the city environs drastically.

Seemingly, air pollution is thriving because of the non-implementation of industrial and environmental laws. In most cases, the concerned authorities merely fines or issues notice to the polluters.

Steel foundries, steel re-rolling mills, brick kilns, steel furnaces and scrap yards are mushrooming along the localities of northern Lahore -- Shadbagh, Chah Miran, Baghbanpura, Misri Shah, Mughalpura, Daroghawala, Bhagatpura -- and other adjoining areas along Bund Road and G T Road. These add to noise, heat and air pollution.

A recent report of Environmental Protection Department (EPD), Punjab, revealed that over 700 industrial units, including a major chunk of steel-related industries are causing serious environmental hazards -- especially noise and air pollution in various localities of northern Lahore. Majority of them are functioning in residential localities.

A good number of industrial and commercial ventures are operating near the historical monuments of Shalimar Gardens, Lahore Fort and Badshahi Mosque. It is pertinent to mention here that the environment department of CDGL has served notices to many of these ventures.

During the last many years, marble grinding and furniture manufacturing industries have been established in residential areas of Ichhra, Ferozepur Road and various other residential localities of Bund Road and Ravi Road. College Road and Township are gradually turning into mini industrial zones too.

A good number of industrial units that manufacture spurious motor oil operate around Badami Bagh while Rim Market in the precincts of Lahore Fort poses a serious threat to the biggest archeological site of the city. Similarly, Kot Lakhpat industrial area is surrounded by residential colonies. In fact, effluents discharged by these industrial units severely affect water.

Brandreth Road has become a hub of mechanical spare parts while surrounding localities like Rehman Gallian, Landa Bazaar, Prem Gallian and Adda Crown have become centres for the manufacturing of spare parts -- furnaces, steel rubbing and polishing. They have turned small houses into factories.

Gulshan-e-Ravi, a purely residential locality, is rapidly changing into a cottage industrial zone. A large number of machinery manufacturing units were established in various blocks of this locality especially those close to Bund Road.

Environmental experts maintain the principle air pollutant in smoke is Particulate Matter (PM) that includes toxic metal dusts and fumes of lead, chromium, cadmium and zinc -- and uncontrolled release of these emissions in the air is resulting in deterioration of air quality. They say the air pollutants restrict photosynthesis, increase respiratory infections, birth defects, acid rains, and lung damage. They further said that lead and cadmium are also present in the fumes released by steel industry that cause collapse of central nervous system and degeneration of joints, lung and kidney diseases respectively.

Sources in Environmental Protection Department (EPD) revealed that as per Pakistan Environmental Protection Act, 1997 all industrial units -- cottage or large -- are supposed to obtain a NOC from EPD but over 70 percent industrial units operating in the city do not bother to meet this legal formality. Though EPD runs various campaigns against these industrial units especially those burning cheap alternate fuel, used tyres and sub-standard rubber products -- yet they continue to work.

A senior official of EPD states the department has already ordered a detailed survey in north Lahore to access the situation. He says the department is pondering on shifting the industrial units outside the city. He further adds that recently some steel industries installed scrubbers to control the hazardous effects of air pollution -- "We are pressing others to install these scrubbers too".

Also, EPD has initiated a new drive against industries polluting the city air -- and have sent challans of 13 industrial units to the Environment Tribunal for legal action.

On the other hand, a large number of citizens urge the government. They also demanded immediate categorisation of industrial, commercial and residential localities in the city and all the industrial units to be shifted to industrial zones outside the city.

Late in the night of May 18, only a few hours ahead of the historic Lahore High Court judgement, a group of Islamic Lawyers Movement (ILM) were gearing up for a petition to pray the court to ban the social networking website Facebook in Pakistan. Reason: the controversial link on the site that invited entries for a competition of caricatures of Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him).

The ILM, formerly Islami Jamiat Lawyers, whose parent organisation is Jama'at-e-Islami Pakistan, was formed in the late 1990s. "Back in the '70s, IJL was working as a separate organisation under the umbrella of JI, quite like Islami Jamiat Talaba," says Chaudhry Zulfiqar Ali, member of Punjab Bar Council, and head of the Lahore chapter of ILM, talking to TNS.

Clean shaven and simply attired, Ali comes across as an agreeable person, as we meet up for a brief chat in his small but compact office room in Hussain Plaza. The next moment he declares ILM's policy of "collectiveness" and "moderation". "Any Muslim lawyer from any school of thought under the sun can join our forum," he says.

"Currently, we have more than three hundred members in Lahore alone, including those from other political parties and sects."

Ali reveals that some people approached Allah Buksh Leghari, former IJT nazim in Punjab University and presently a member of the ILM, to file the petition at the earliest. "It was a 'landmark' judgment by the LHC," he adds.

"We drafted the petition in a rush because we did not want to delay it; the blasphemous caricature competition was scheduled on May 20."

The preface of the 1999 edition of the 'constitution' of ILM, a copy of which is available with TNS as well, is in line with the spirit of Pakistan's 1973 Constitution with Allah as the supreme and sovereign power. It also states that every Muslim is duty-bound to preach Islam and impart the message of Islam to others: "ILM is thankful to Allah who granted the organisation the spirit to practice Islam. Our next step will be to expand this movement across the country and to gather all lawyers on this platform and also to launch a campaign to ensure Islamic code of life in all sections of society."

The ILM has its own oath and membership form and its constitution was drafted by the founding members of the ILM which include Justice (r) Sheikh Khizar Hayat, Ismael Qureshi, Raja Ataullah, Tofeeq Asif (the acting country head of the movement) and others. Hafiz Abdul Rehman Ansari, former president of Lahore High Court Bar Association and the sitting judge of the LHC, was the predecessor of Tofeeq Asif but had to quit the position after he became a judge.

Ali recalls that the movement was initially Punjab-based only, but later expanded throughout Pakistan. "We want to work for Islam and support the people of our faith who have a good character. Besides, we want to highlight and resolve social issues and uproot social evils," Ali maintains.

Pointing a finger at a book by Ismael Qureshi on the topic of blasphemy, which was lying on the shelf, Ali says, "We are the first one to move court for the inclusion of Section 295C in Pakistan Penal Code." [The section awards death sentence to the person who commits blasphemy against Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)].

"The Islami Jamiat lawyers moved this petition in the then Supreme Court and the matter lay pending before the court. In the meantime, Nisar Fatima, the then Jama'at e Islami MNA moved a bill to add this section to the blasphemy law.

"We were also the first to move court against the first dissolution of Pakistan's National Assembly," he continues, "The case is popularly known as Maulvi Tameezuddin Case in the judicial history of the country."

As for the Facebook controversy, Ali has a moderate approach. Where the prayer of the petition states that "the respondents may kindly be directed to impose a complete ban upon Facebook being immoral, unholy, illegal and unconstitutional in the greater interest of justice", Ali calls for a ban "only on the link to that blasphemous page.

"I don't believe in taking the extreme step. There should be no violent move. We should act with tolerance. Nothing more nor less."

Email: vaqargillani@gmail.com