LAHORE: Lahore does not have any significant nightlife, except food outlets, and in the wake of coronavirus waves, the fourth one currently going on, many intellectuals, artists, writers and event organisers stress the need for introducing evening activities under the Covid protocols to provide a bit relief to the city dwellers through quality entertainment.

Talking to Dawn, Faqir Saifuddin from the Faqir Khana Museum said keeping in view the single-dimension of Lahore’s nightlife, which is mostly food and unrelenting corona waves, there was a need to innovate.

Mr Saifuddin suggested promotion of night tourism in the city, under Covid protocols, by the government. He was of the view that historical monuments like the Lahore Fort, Shalamar Gardens, Jahnagir’s Tomb etc should be open to public in the night with proper preparation and management.

“As a step forward to enrich Lahore’s nightlife, I am planning to open Faqir Khana Museum in the evening as the weather gets a bit cooler”, Mr Saifuddin said, adding that Lahore was a fascinating city and evening tourism could be a great idea. Guided tours to all remarkable monuments in the city should be introduced by the government, in collaboration with private parties, he proposed.

Playwright and intellectual Shahid Nadeem, who has been running Ajoka theater for many decades, said nightlife in a city like Lahore is an important part of its social life. In the times of corona, he said, promotion of nightlife of Lahore could have certain advantages as there was less pollution in the night because of less traffic. He said the authorities concerned, in collaboration with the entertainment industry, should adopt innovative ways and a more pragmatic approach in this regard. They should facilitate and encourage outdoor entertainment, outdoor dining, outdoor cultural activities, drive–in cinemas and outdoor performances, he suggested. The information and culture department should be assigned a role to monitor all such activities, when it comes to night-time performances, he said, suggesting that the places such as Alhamra on The Mall and the Alhamra Cultural Complex, Gaddafi Stadium, having ample open spaces, could well be used for holding outdoor performances.

Art educationist and painter Saleema Hashmi said nightlife had always been a great social experience in all cultures. She said only memories were left of the performances and gatherings of pre-corona days and in Lahore’s nightlife whatever little was left had been swept away by Covid. “Life has changed a lot. The visual art activities like exhibitions and auctions have mostly shifted online. Measures could be taken to improve things with a logical and sustainable approach as corona seems to linger on for an indefinite time,” she said.

Sadaan Pirzada, the moving spirit behind Rafi Peer Theater Workshop, regretted that despite the fact that Covid waves are hitting again and again, there is no policy or grant introduced by the government to save the performing arts and folks related to this industry. “Life has become digital. Cinemas, restaurants and other cultural activities are badly hit by the pandemic, but there seems no plan as how to go through these difficult times”. Pirzada said it was important to think about promotion of night tourism and some policy should be introduced in this regard.

Published in Dawn, August 10th, 2021