LAHORE Certainly it is a cruelty when people are making birds and animals go for a bloody combats in order to please the onlookers, but members of the Punjab Assembly on Tuesday opposed a resolution demanded banning of these fights, while declaring the act as cruel, performances creating law and order situation and a reason for gambling. While opposing the resolution moved by Oppositions Ahmed Khan Baloch, members maintained that bird and animal fights were part of the culture in Punjab, and was the only source of entertainment for those residing in villages. While supporting his resolution, Baloch asserted that Islam also forbade such cruel acts in which the birds and animals were injured or even killed. The Quaid did not establish Pakistan for such things, he added. Syed Hassan Murtaza, Embsat Hamid, Sher Ali, Major (r) Abdur Rehman Rana, Joel Aamir Sahotra, Fauzia Behram and Seemal Kamran opposed the resolution. They added that animal and bird fights were the only source of public entertainment in rural areas, and these were the part of our culture. As far as the gambling is concerned, people also bid bets on the other games like cricket, hockey etc, they maintained. Dr. Samia Amjad highlighted the technical aspects of the animal and birds viral diseases. PPPs Hassan Murtaza vociferously criticised the resolution, and demanded that everything should not be banned. Later, the resolution was defeated in the House after it was put to voting by Deputy Speaker Rana Mashhood Ahmed Khan. Earlier, the Assembly unanimously passed two resolutions regarding agri tax and setting up of women police stations. Oppositions Khalid Javed Asghar Ghural moved the resolution that the House is of the view that government should exempt all the owners of 25-acre land from agricultural tax. Second was moved by PPPs Tallat Yaqoob, whose motion said this house was of the opinion that the Punjab government should establish women police stations with necessary officers and staff in all the districts of the province. The House passed both the resolutions unanimously. Also the house rejected three resolutions and pended two others. PML-N MPA Arifa Khalid Pervez, in her resolution, urged the provincial government to stop illegal and on high-price sale of transparent bags by private schools to their students in name of security measures. However, they should do this after approval from the government and on the price fixed by it, she demanded, while adding that the government should also provide these bags free of cost to all the public sector schools. MPAs Seemal Kamran, Embsat Hamid, Fauzia Behram, Sajida Mir and Rana Ejaz Ahmed opposed the resolution arguing that private schools initiative would help the government in its efforts to end terror acts. Minority member Engineer Shahzad Elahi resolution was moved by Oppositions Amna Ulfat. The resolution stated that the House recommended the federal government to impose a ban on export of corn, which is used in the poultry feed and its export would ultimately result in hike in the poultry meat price. This year, the corn production was 1.2 million tonnes, which is less than usual, pointed out the resolution. MPAs Sardar Muhammad Mohsin Leghari, Rana Ejaz Ahmed Khan, Seemal Kamran, Sher Ali Malik opposed the resolution and said the corn crop was not in the export list. We must not obstruct the export in the best interest of the growers, if they get adequate price of their yields, the added. Earlier, during the Question-Answer session relating to the Environment protection Department, PA members urged the Department for ensuring pollution free environment in Lahore in particular and the province in general. About pollution, the matter of smoke emitting vehicles and the functioning of the Department, the members criticised for not paying due attention towards the decreasing pollution caused by the outdated and smoke emitting vehicles. Necessary and immediate steps should be taken to keep the environment clean in order to save the lives of citizens, members demanded. Parliamentary Secretary of the Department Colonel (r) Ayub Khan Gadhi, while replying to questions, admitted that the pollution level in the city was higher than the set international standards. The government, in order to reduce the level of pollution and as necessary steps, is impounding of smoke-emitting and challaning the misfit vehicles besides imposing fines, he said, while adding that the government was also banning two stroke rickshaws, which were a major source of environmental pollution in the city, and were replacing them with four-stroke rickshaws. During the proceedings, protests by the employees of the secondary educational boards also came under discussion when Oppositions Seemal Kamran questioned the government about how the exams of matriculation would be held when the officials of the boards were on strike. To this, Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan said the exams would be held certainly because it was the matter of the future of the students. It has become routine of the officials of the boards to blackmail the government, especially at the time of examinations, he said, while adding that the government was ready to listen to the legitimate demands, but it would not tolerate blackmailing. The government still ask those on strike to resume their duties and not to play with the future of the young generation. In case, they will not leave their practice of blackmailing and do not care for the future of the children, then the government will deal with them firmly, he warned.