Resolution not linked with concerts in education institutions: Rana Sanaullah

LAHORE: Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah said on Wednesday that the resolution passed in the Punjab Assembly on Tuesday had only sought a ban on ‘objectionable’ concerts in educational institutions, Geo News reported.

Sanaullah said schools and colleges also hold events to present national songs and it would not be appropriate to restrict them.

Rana Sanaullah was talking to the media outside the Punjab Assembly building and said that the government is not bound to implement the resolution passed by the assembly.

While answering a question regarding Memogate case, the minister said that it seems as if the government is trying to hide a crime by not allowing Mansoor Ijaz to come to Pakistan.

The newspaper story adds:
The Punjab Assembly on Tuesday unanimously passed a resolution demanding a complete ban on 'objectionable musical concerts' in all the government and private educational institutions of the province.

The resolution was tabled by opposition MPA Seemal Kamran, who initially called for a complete ban on concerts in schools and colleges of the province while drawing the parliamentarians attention towards a recent incident in which students of a private group of colleges were killed in a stampede after a musical concert.

However, following the suggestion of Law Minister Rana Sanaullah, the word 'objectionable' was included in the text of the resolution which was accepted unanimously by the House on the private members day. Interestingly, none of the members attending the proceedings sought definition of the word 'objectionable' by the law minister nor did any of them call for concrete steps to avoid any untoward incidents like the one that occurred during the stampede after a concert a few days back.

At the time when Seemal Kamran tabled the resolution, the law minister opposed it and suggested that it would be better if the mover of the resolution came up with some amendments to it. He held the view that term 'musical concert' had a wide canvass, adding that schools and colleges also held events to present national songs and it would not be appropriate to restrict them. However, he said, if the word 'objectionable' was included in the resolution, it would be appropriate.

The suggestion of the law minister was endorsed by the opposition after which an amended resolution was moved which was accepted.