The 1960s and 70s witnessed an increased labour activism throughout the world. In Pakistan, spring of '69 not only saw the epitome of workers' power, it also showed the might of students who joined hands with workers to lead the most popular movement in our country's history. This forced the unpopular dictator, Ayub Khan, to resign from the office of the Presidency.

The government of Z.A. Bhutto (who led the popular revolt) could not fulfil the promise of 68-69. Despite this betrayal, the trade union activism was on rise throughout the 1970s. However, all this enthusiasm came to an abrupt end with the assumption of power by General Zia who launched a brutal crackdown on trade unions, including the murder of 102 workers in a textile mill in Multan.

Ever since, the workers power has consistently reduced. Recent events, however, show that the frustration of the workers against joblessness, price hike and human rights violations is rising at an enormous rate. At the same time, unprecedented efforts are underway to organise the workers in order to give this anger a direction.

One such event was the All-Punjab Labour Conference held at the Faisalabad Press Club on Oct 18 by the Pakistan Trade Union Federation, a left-leaning trade union affiliated with the National Workers Party. The event was planned in order to organise workers from different industries and to put demands of the workers to the PPP-led government. The demands included increase in minimum wage and its implementation, social security for the workers, hiring workers illegally fired under the Musharraf regime, end to the privatisation of major industries, stopping the price hike and accountability for the bosses who use illegal methods against the workers. The conference warned that if its demands were not met, the workers would resort to civil disobedience in order to attain their rights.

Here, it would be pertinent to mention a brief account of events that are responsible for the radicalisation of workers. First, Faisalabad witnessed a complete strike by powerloom workers in April. The strike started when workers staged a demonstration against the owner, who happened to be a PML-Q MPA, for not abiding by the government declaration of the minimum wage (Rs. 6000). Instead of negotiating with the workers, the police and the hired thugs of the bosses opened fire on them, severely injuring seven people.

The resistance of the workers was heroic, but it did not end here. The powerloom workers organised a national meeting in Rahim Yar Khan to organise the powerloom workers and gave another ultimatum to the ruling coalition. The Labour Qaumi Movement has spearheaded this struggle and many of its leaders are still facing charges on different accounts.

The successful strike of PTCL workers against Etisalat's attempts at downsizing was another historic victory for the workers movement. Workers have also protested the privatisation of KESC, MCS Bank, Thar coal authority, and the increasing loadshedding amongst other things.

All of this meant that the mood at the conference, which was attended by at least two thousand workers, was extremely charged. There was representation from the powerlooms, railways, PTCL, Textiles and other industrial sectors. The workers re-vitalised old slogans like "Workers of the world Unite" "Asia is red with the blood of the martyrs" "Death or freedom" and an occasional chant of "Long Live Socialism". After a long time, the workers were not apologetic, nor did they have any illusions about the PPP-led government. All speakers kept a hard-line tone, warning the government of dire consequences if the minimum wage was not implemented. The issue of the minimum wage was particularly disturbing as one heard how the factory owners were using brutal measures in order to suppress any demand for Rs6000. which is peanuts when the inflation is taken into account.

During the conference, the workers displayed little respect for the police, the judiciary and the government who they accuse of regularly siding with the bosses whenever they deny the rights of the workers.

The crowd gave a rousing welcome to Abid Hasan Minto, leader of the National Workers Party and a committed leftist for more than fifty years. On the occasion, he stated that the current state structure was against the interests of the working class and workers must control the State if they want to improve their condition.

Another person who electrified the crowd was Mian Qayyum, the leader of the Labour Qaumi Movement which lead the powerloom workers. Mian Qayyum has faced mounting pressure from the bosses and the state apparatus but has refused to strike a deal with them. (something that our politicians can learn from). The workers kept raising revolutionary slogans throughout his speech which showed the legitimacy this new layer of leadership enjoys amongst the workers.

Another aspect that was particularly heartening was the presence of NSF ( National Students Federation) cadre. Students in Faisalabad are trying to re-organise the NSF, the radical organisation of the 1960s that played a decisive part in the anti-Ayub movement and the formation of the PPP. Today, these students feel that it is important to have a radical student organisation in order to challenge the status quo. For this purpose, almost a dozen NSF students were tabling for the event, selling Marxist and progressive literature.

"The progressive movement in Pakistan was big when there was unity between the workers, peasants, women, minorities and the students. Today, we must unite these sections of society if we are to establish an egalitarian system in the country," stated Mohammad Irfan, a student who has been at the forefront of the NSF revival.

The conference ended with vows to continue the struggle till its logical conclusion. Observing the conference, one could feel that the depression of the 1990s could not destroy the promise of 1968. There is growing anger amongst the masses and they are willing to express it in an organised manner. With the pressure of the IMF increasing and the government ready to accept the neo-liberal agenda, we might see an increase in the price hike, privatisation and downsizing. At the same, this may lead to an increased militancy amongst workers.

The workers gained a partial victory in 1969. In Faisalabad, labour leaders declared that the time had come for a complete victory for the workers. In this battle, the workers are on one side, and the state and the International Financial Institutions (IFIs) are on the other. The outcome of this battle will decide whether it is possible to build a new future where human beings come before profits, or will a particular section of the society continue its hegemony on society with any means necessary, including the use of brutal state power!

When someone asks me my food preferences, I say 'daal chawal', attempting to sound modest. Deep down, my mother and I identify that like millions of people we are also meat-fans. A modest little piece of meat giving out the 'meaty' aroma in the middle of a dish makes life more beautiful (at least on the dinner table). The days I spent without meat in USA don't bring any fond memories. Haji's 'nihari' gave me sleepless nights and I frequently missed 'mutton pulao', the sticky 'siri paye' and the 'brain masala' that follows them.

Meat is the most feasible and routinely bought happiness in the west. The demand and consumption has increased drastically in the recent times leading to mass production. The grandeur of burgers and sandwiches diminishes without a meat loaf. This attachment to meat is of course harmless. Well, so I thought. Three years of training as an Environmental Scientist has made me slightly uncomfortable.

The meat and beef we consume, is environmentally far more hazardous than vegetables. The ranches and assembly-line factories consume many resources; produce solid waste and gases that contribute to the Global Warming. These also reduce the water quality and soil fertility of their surroundings.

The worst is that the crop consumption to produce one calorie in the cattle is much greater than in humans. Cattle eat more and produce less. The feed a cow requires can feed many mouths. Almost 800 million people combat starvation daily, yet the cattle acquire the grains because it's profitable.

Many hundred acres of land is cleared to make ranches in the third world, to provide meat to the first world. This is profitable in the short run but disastrous in the long run. These countries that maintain cattle for several years before it is sold in an American burger, fast move towards environmental unsustainability. Agricultural land is already scarce and so is water. Why utilise this non-renewable resource to feed cows?

Remember the 'mad cow' disease epidemic. One of the estimated causes of the outbreak were the growth-escalating hormones used to shorten the cattle's growth period to attain adult cattle faster and meet the growing market demand. Hence we might pay an invisible price real soon if we don't curtail our meat-love.

The solution to the dilemma is not that we become vegetarians. It is to eliminate meat and beef from the routine and make it a 'treat' again. Remove subsidies and increase its cost. Eat it occasionally, in smaller quantities and explore alternatives like chicken and fish. The source, through which meat is attained, should be made public e.g. the country, ranch name etc.

Another dilemma is that the most feasible $5-10 meat meals on Earth come from multi-national food chains. All these burgers have a universal cheesy taste and compete with the exclusive dishes of those regions. These chains efficiently utilise the third world environment and weak labour laws for production. Since the burger results from mass-production, it's cheaper. Teenagers are a common target and culture is the victim.

If we look at Pakistan, the meat production scene is quite serene. The population that can afford it isn't very big and meat is still a 'luxury'. The attempts to increase meat export have yet to become popular and most cattle are used to produce dairy products.

Since the World is being depleted, it might become unlivable and we might have to start living on the moon. It is one more reason to quit meat-worship. Even if millions of people land on the moon, they can't take their billion ton cattle along. India has recently launched their first 'moon mission'. The Indians have some advantages over the beefy Americans. One is that the majority of Indians are vegetarians. Secondly, there is no American football to propel them to over eat meat.

Keeping all this in mind, I resolved to cut down all meat from my life. Until the day my cousin sat next to me eating 'naan korma'. I could already taste the lemon syrup and smell the red chilly when she made me the offer. Of course I said yes and definitely, I didn't regret this delicious episode!

• Oxygen presents 'Club Caramel' -- Spring '08 (National Tour). After its phenomenal success, Club Caramel, dubbed 'the best party of 2007', is on a nation-wide tour. Club Caramel is an exciting new concept in live entertainment -- fusing live music & electronic in a club-inspired setting, followed by DJ/post-party on 4th Nov at 10:30pm at Royal Palm Country Club.

• 'Intrusion', a group show from Nov 07-12 at The Collectors.

• The Homage: a solo exhibition by Fizzah Zaheer Salam from Nov 02-08 at Alhamra Arts Council, The Mall.

• Workshop: Introduction to professional film making at Film and Television Institute, New Garden Town, from Nov 02-07

• Puppet Show at Alhamra,

The Mall every Sunday at 11am.

• Talent Hunt Show (singing) every Saturday

• Panjabi Sangat is a weekly gathering

every Friday and Sunday

at Najam Hussain Sayed's house at 7pm

where Punjabi classical poetry is readand sung.

Any person who visits the Sangat can

freely and actively participate in

the above mentioned activities.

The expansion of Lahore Museum according to international standards, is yet to be seen. The old Tollington Market on The Mall which was decided to be used as an extension of the museum, is still locked..

The Tollington Market renovated a couple of years back, was formally inaugurated last year by the then governor. Only a lane divides the two buildings -- Lahore Museum and Tollington. The Board of Governors (BoG) of the museum, in its 47th meeting, decided to set up a 'City Museum' in the Tollington Market, approving that the artefacts of national museum from the city could be shifted to this place. The board came to the conclusion that Tollington Market was the most suitable place for extension of the museum because of its proximity to the Lahore Museum and approved a subway to connect the Lahore Museum with Tollington Market.

The idea was to get the space to display its over 40,000 artefacts which are lying in the inventory for lack of space. They were scheduled to be displayed at the city museum at Tollington Market after its opening in September 2007. The Lahore Museum has over 60,000 artefacts in its possession. Since the museum did not have enough space, only 20,000 artefacts are on display there.

The Lahore Museum is there since 1894 and is considered one of the major museums of South Asia. The museum -- one of the most visited place in the city, is also the biggest museum of Pakistan. It contains a huge collection of antiques and artefacts from the Stone Age to the Pakistan Movement.

The Information, Youth and Culture department of the Punjab government and the Lahore Museum had been supervising renovation and conversion of the market into a museum.

However, the mission could not be accomplished as the Tollington Market is still closed due to some 'repair' work needed there, an official of the museum told TNS. He added that the place is only opened for some important and exclusive exhibitions only. The reason is seepage in the roof and walls of the market and lack of security there, TNS learnt from the government officials. "Strict security measures are required in case the museum is extended to Tollington, to ensure the safety of artefacts," the official said, indicating that this was also one of the reasons for not opening the place yet.

More importantly, TNS has learnt from the federal government officials that the former Standing Committee on Culture in the National Assembly also prepared a report on the museums of Pakistan in 2007. The committee headed by former MNA, Attiya Inyatullah, found that all the 13 museums and heritage preservation sites of Pakistan including Lahore Museum were a case of 'nothing but neglect'.

Attiya, talking to TNS, said the report was prepared with special consideration to improve the standards of the museums of the country. The report, she said, had found the museums, especially Karachi museum, in complete neglect. However, she termed Lahore museum comparatively in better condition as compared to museums located in Sindh.

"The report highlighted that all of the museums need upgradation," she said, adding, "The museums also need a protected, controlled temperature, close circuit television cameras, professional preservation, proper treatment of artefacts, use of internationally recognised techniques of presentation, trained museum guides, pilferage and recurring cost."

She expressed that the purpose was to make the museums highly attractive. However, claiming the sitting government almost 'non-functional', Attiya was sure that the new government would not have done anything in this connection. "Keeping in view the country's scenario, I am sure that nothing will be done to implement the report," she feared.

Punjab Secretary for Information, Youth and Culture Orya Maqbool Jan Abbasi talking to TNS, seemed kind enough to openly admit the fact that museums of the country including Lahore Museum were not as per international standards.

However, Orya -- not only a bureaucrat but also known for his love of art, culture and heritage -- gave TNS a ray of hope telling that the new Punjab government was seriously considering the plan to improve the condition of Lahore Museum and to reorganise Tollington Market place and make a proper 'City Museum'."

The recent plan, now, is being envisaged with the cooperation of the Smithsonian Institute of United States of America (USA), whose team is coming to Lahore in the first half of November to help the Punjab government establish and design a state-of-the-art museum," the official told TNS.

Orya Maqbool Jan, who has also been serving as director general of the Punjab Archaeology Department, further told TNS that the Punjab government was also considering to shift the newly formed City Museum to some proper place in the Walled City and to use this Tollington place as extension of the national museum.

"For this purpose, the Punjab government has also recovered the four kanal encroached piece of land situated behind the Tollington Market," he said, adding, "The Smithsonian Institute delegation would provide consultancy service to the Punjab government in designing the museum, using that recovered piece of land." He added that this place would be used for proper display of the over 40,000 artefacts of the Lahore museum hidden from view for lack of space to display them.

A small delegation of the Smithsonian Institute is expected in Lahore in the first week of November. According to the information available with TNS, the Smithsonian Institution, the world's largest museum complex and research organisation, has 19 museums, nine research centres and a national zoo.

Kamil Khan Mumtaz, a noted conservationist, talking to TNS said, "there were plans to extend the museum to Tollington Market and display the reserved artefacts there but that has not been done yet." He said there was no problem in using Tollington Market for the purpose. However, the government must value the cultural and historic urban precincts of these sites. "This part of the city which includes Town Hall, Government College, Punjab University Old Campus, National College of Arts, Museum and also Tollington Market, is culturally very rich and its architecture should not be changed."

Dr Ajaz Anwar, a former faculty member of National College of Arts and a reputed conservationist, however, has a different view. Talking to TNS, he said though the Board of Governors of the museum had approved to take over the museum a couple of years back and had approved construction of the subway to connect the Lahore museum and Tollington, the decisions were made without professionals' input.

"We are against the extension of Lahore Museum," he said, adding, "We want the restoration of Tollington Market as it was in the past." He said that the present space for Lahore Museum was definitely insufficient. "However, the government should continue with this small museum at this place and construct a bigger museum on a large piece of land somewhere else in Lahore. Extension of Lahore Museum in Tollington Market would mar the beauty of both historic archaeological sites," he said.

The last weekend saw LUMS hosting the first ever annual Drama festival. Drama-fest was initiated with the objective of providing the youth of Pakistan with a platform to exhibit their theatrical talents. Spread over a total of three days with five, forty five minute performances per day by institutes that are the pioneers of art and theatre in Pakistan, Drama-fest promised to be a spectacular event and it lived up to these expectations. A night of colour, music and some brilliant acting, people are still talking about it a week later.

Drama-fest was an event organised by Dramaline, the oldest student society in LUMS. Dramaline consists completely of students and it is refreshing to see that the organisational flair of the youth is more than enough to hold an event of such a large magnitude. The way the Dramaline President Aun Ansari and Vice-President Ali Mukhtar Chaudhary tackled all the obstacles in their path is awe-inspiring. The degree of professionalism exhibited by these two was remarkable as they managed a team of around fifty people with utmost efficacy and throughout the event they were seen wherever the crux of the problems were, doing their utmost to ensure the smooth running of the event.

In the days preceding and during the event it was common seeing these two along with Hassan Ijaz (General Secretary) and Agha Ali Raza (Treasurer) and a group of Dramaline members as they worked countless hours to organise a successful event. The purpose and objective of Dramaline was summed up perfectly in the words of President Aun Ansari. "We promote art in the form of theatre; Dramaline is an entertainment-based society seeking to entertain audiences from all over the country through its events and productions."

The objective of the event was to promote and harness the talent of the youth of Pakistan. LUMS Dramaline needs to be commended for taking such an initiative and other institutes should follow this example so that theatre in Pakistan may be promoted. Pakistani theatre as it is now is in a state of regression. The problem with Pakistani theatre is not that we do not have the talent. It is a fact that we have no means of recognising, developing or promoting this talent. Nor is the flair of exceptional individuals truly appreciated. It is only through events such as the Drama-fest that gifted and unique individuals will be discovered who will bring new meaning to acting in Pakistan. In order to revolutionise our theatre and make it turn over a new page in history we need new blood. And we need to promote this talent and foster it and make sure that proper guidance is given to it so that it can be the best possible. Platforms such as Drama-fest are the only means to ensure that this happens so such ventures should be encouraged to the maximum.

The event itself surpassed all expectations. The fifteen different plays provided an array of superb acting and unique scripts dealing with a variety of different issues, some serious while others not so much. The performances on the first day were superb and it only got better from that point onwards with the show being sold out on the second and third days. The performances by NCA were truly exceptional and they proved why they are considered among the best institutes when it comes to theatrical art. Some institutes illustrated serious social issues such as the nation-wide electricity shortage (Punjab University) and the terrorist threat (SISA) along with much needed comic relief. Their performances were outstanding and they got the whole crowd worked up. The most disturbing images were painted by SICAS and LUMS in their plays as they showed how the human character is deteriorating day by day and how the use of intoxicants proves to be their bane. These plays were designed to make the audience think about the direction our world is heading in.

In one of the most haunting dialogues, an actor from SICAS commented on how we as a society are so caught up in its 'Dastoor' that we have lost all judgement of right and wrong. Reform through theatre is achievable and such performances can just make the people think about their lives.

It is vital to promote such plays to bring forward many problems in the society. My personal favourite however was the performance of Bahria University who with a fine display of acting managed to portray evil as a never ending, ever existent phenomenon. What pleased me the most, however, was the fact that I did not have to wait three hours for the show to begin. The performances began completely on schedule and ended in time for the younger audience to watch the entire show without worrying about their curfews.

In retrospect I am glad to have witnessed what could prove to be the resurgence of Pakistani theatre. Not only were the acting and scripts amazing but the event itself was brilliant. The way everything was organised, from the lighting to the security exuded professionalism and it is uplifting to see that the future of Pakistan shows such promise. I can only hope that other universities follow this example and will organise similar events which will provide the youth with the leg-up it needs to acquire its true potential. The Vice-President of Dramaline ended the event on the promise to "Bring back Drama-fest bigger and better next year" and I do not doubt him. So for those of you who did not attend Drama-fest, you have no idea what you missed out on, thus come next year, attend for yourself and find out.