LAHORE, Jan 26: The Punjab Assembly changed within 48 hours its stance on musical concerts in educational institutions by adopting another resolution, ironically unanimously this time too, on Thursday supporting youth cultural events.

Tabled by opposition leader Raja Riaz it read: “The house is of the considered opinion that there shall be no ban on any extracurricular activities, including cultural, national and literary activities, in all public and private-run educational institutions.”

Maulana Ilyas Chinioti of the PML-N opposed the resolution arguing that `immoral’ activities should not be allowed in the name of culture and arts. He walked out of the house when Speaker Rana Muhammad Iqbal put the resolution to vote.

Sheikh Alauddin of the Unification Bloc also staged a walkout protesting that a similar resolution submitted by him to the assembly secretariat was not taken up.

The house adopted the resolution unanimously.

The same house had earlier passed a resolution moved by PML-Q’s Seemal Kamran seeking a ban on organising ‘objectionable’ music concerts in private and public educational institutions. This unanimous act had been taken in the presence of around two dozen MPAs on Tuesday.

The change of heart on the part of the Punjab Assembly came when people from most segments of society criticised the house terming its act an attempt to rob the youth of entertainment and of constructive activities.

The house, for the second consecutive day, also passed 14 bills in the sitting that lasted for around seven hours amid lack of quorum. Some of these bills had been returned by the governor raising some objections.

Lack of interest on the part of MPAs in the legislative business remained continued as usual as only four MPAs were present in attendance when the proceedings started almost an hour late from its scheduled time (10am). The attendance never crossed the 98 mark while 42 members were there when the sitting was adjourned for Friday morning.

The 14 bills passed by the house included the Hindu Disposition of Property (Amendment) Bill 2011, the Hindu Law of Inheritance (Second Amendment) Bill 2011, the Voluntary Social Welfare Agencies (Registration and Control) (Amendment) Bill 2011, the Road Transport Workers (Amendment) Bill 2011, the Punjab Industrial and Commercial Employment (Standing Orders) (Amendment) Bill 2011 and the Punjab Workers' Children (Education) (Amendment) Bill 2011.

The Punjab Agricultural Pesticides (Amendment) Bill 2011, the Provincial Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill 2011, the Punjab Conferment of Proprietary Rights on Occupancy Tenants And Muqarraridars Bill 2011, the Punjab Local Government (Second Amendment) Bill 2011, the Ghazi University, Dera Ghazi Khan Bill 2011, and the Punjab Public Service Commission (Amendment) Bill 2011 were also passed by the house.