LAHORE: Ajoka Theatre`s fourday 2nd Annual Empower Theatre Festival in collaboration with the Government College University (GCU) opened here on Tuesday.

The first play of the festival, being held at the university, staged at the inaugural day was Ajoka`s famous production `Mera Raang Dep Basanti Chola.

Ajoka`s creative director Madeeha Gauhar while throwing light on the festival told this reporter that Ajoka, known for socially relevant and meaningful theatre, was providing the youth with a platform to showcase their talent and expertise in its 2nd annual Empower Theatre Festival.

Shahid Nadeem of Ajoka said the Empower Theatre Festival had become a significant event as all participating teams were vibrant and plays were a rich mix of enjoyable and colorful form and thoughtprovoking socially relevant content.

In an era when people had forgotten to communicate with each other on crucial and divisive issues, theatre provided a platform for reflectionand dialogue,he said.

The four-day theatre extravaganza includes theatre groups from Lahore, Karachi and Faisalabad student clubs, youth theatre groups and Ajoka`s own team.

The festival opened with the performance of `Mera Rang De Basanti Chola`.

Teams from leading educational institutes such as Lums, Punjab University and Agricultural University Faisalabad will perform their plays on the second and third day whereas Actor Studio Karachi and theatre group Sangat will also highlight social issues through their plays during the festival.

The festival will conclude on Nov 4 with Ajoka`s play `Lo Phir Basant Aae` The venue of festival is the Bukhari Auditorium of the GCU.

EXHIBITION: An exhibition of landscapes by veteran artist Misbahuddin Qazi opened at Zahoorul Akhlag Gallery of the National College of Arts (NCA) on Tuesday.

A large number of students, art fanciers, and other guests attended the exhibition, which was inaugurated by NCA PrincipalMurtaza Jaffri.

Some 22 or so captivating oil paintings were on display at the exhibition. The landscapes depicted the beauty and grandeurofnature.

Jaffri while commenting on the exhibition said the artwork was unique and beautiful. He said Qazi was one of those few artists who painted on the spot. The artist`s works were a treat for the eyes.

The artworks carried hues and shades of Pakistani landscapes through strong and vivid expression of an artist whose forte is landscapes.

The paintings were sort of a pictorial travelogue the artist portrayed through colours; the canvasses were reflective of the places, their beauty and ambiance the artist experienced and shared. The exhibition will remain on display till Nov 7.

Qazi is a well known artist and has held several solo exhibitions nationally and internationally. He is from the 1964 batch of fine arts from the Punjab University and spent most of his career as a landscape painter. He also worked at Pakistan National Council of Arts as assistant director in 1973 besides serving as its deputy director andvisualarts director.