Government determined to keep PPO enforced

 

ISLAMABAD: The government is determined to keep the Pakistan Protection Ordinance (PPO) enforced and for the purpose it has evolved a strategy which has three tiers.
The government is confident that it will sail through the legislation even if it is blocked by the Senate provided its allies stand by it in the two houses.Highly-placed sources told The News on Thursday that the ruling PML-N will take the piece of legislation to the joint sitting of the two houses of parliament once blocked by the Senate.

The government’s procedure would be in line with the Constitution. The Article 70 of the Constitution deals with the subject under the title of “Introduction and passing of Bills,” the sources reminded. It says as under:

(1) “A Bill with respect to any matter in the Federal Legislative List may originate in either House and shall, if it is passed by the House in which it originated, be transmitted to the other House; and, if the Bill is passed without amendment, by the other House also, it shall be presented to the President for assent.

(2) If a Bill transmitted to a House under clause (1) is passed with amendments it shall be sent back to the House in which it originated and if that House passes the Bill with those amendments it shall be presented to the President for assent.

(3) If a Bill transmitted to a House under clause (1) is rejected or is not passed within ninety days of its laying in the House or a Bill sent to a House under clause (2) with amendments is not passed by that House with such amendments, the Bill, at the request of the House in which it originated, shall be considered in a joint sitting and if passed by the votes of the majority of the members present and voting in the joint sitting it shall be presented to the President for assent.”

The sources reminded that the ruling alliance enjoys the support of 251 members of the two houses. And it needs 223 votes out of 445 members of both the houses.

The comfort enjoyed by the ruling alliance will fizzle out in case the JUI-F opts not to support the government. Maulana Fazlur Rehman has already announced his opposition to the legislation as during the passage of the PPO in the National Assembly, his party had supported the opposition.

The ruling alliance has enough support in the joint house for the PPO in case it decides to opt for a joint sitting, the sources said.

According to sources, the PML-N has 206 members of its own in the two houses of parliament while its ally PML-F 6, Pakhtunkhawa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) 5, National Party 2, NPP 3, PML-Z 1, APML (Pervez Musharraf) 1 and Independents 15 will support the government for the adoption of the PPO, the sources said.

The other option is also available to the government in the shape of promulgation of the same legislation with a different title and some reshuffle in the text of the original law. This option would be the last resort if the idea of holding a joint sitting is ruled out, the sources said.

Meanwhile, the government is also considering discussions with the opposition parties to make the legislation acceptable to the whole house through amendments. Mian Raza Rabbani, the leader of the PPP Parliamentary Group in the Senate, has already hinted at bringing amendments to the bill passed by the National Assembly, the sources reminded.

Everton down Arsenal to keep European dream alive

LIVERPOOL: Everton struck a huge blow in the battle to qualify for the Champions League with an emphatic 3-0 victory over Arsenal at Goodison Park on Sunday.

Strikers Steven Naismith and Romelu Lukaku both scored for Everton in the first half, while Arsenal midfielder Mikel Arteta added a third with an own-goal in the second period in a match the home side dominated.

The result meant fifth-placed Everton closed the gap on Arsene Wenger´s side in fourth place to just a single point, and the Toffees also have a Premier League game in hand over their London rivals.

Everton manager Roberto Martinez handed Naismith, who impressed from the bench against Fulham last time out, a place in the starting line-up ahead of Ross Barkley while Kevin Mirallas was preferred to Gerard Deulofeu.

Arsenal had Aaron Ramsey back in their squad for the first time since December after his recovery from a thigh injury but he had to settle for a place among the substitutes while Nacho Monreal started in place of Kieran Gibbs, who had an ankle injury, at left-back.

Leon Osman signalled Everton´s intent and went close with a curling effort from distance, which had Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny worried, that just went over the crossbar.

Osman, named Everton captain for the day, was forced off moments later with a nasty cut on his face after Arsenal defender Bacary Sagna landed on him and was replaced by Barkley. But despite his absence the Toffees zipped the ball about with confidence and a slick move in the 14th minute allowed Naismith to put the hosts ahead.

A teasing ball into the area from left-back Leighton Baines found Lukaku who saw his shot from near the penalty spot parried by Szczesny, but Naismith was quickest to react and confidently placed the ball into the corner of the unguarded net.

Everton´s pressure on the Arsenal goal was relentless and Barkley drew a smart save on the half-hour mark from Szczesny before Mirallas had the Poland international scrambling across his goal shortly afterwards with a low shot from distance.

Arsenal´s rearguard was eventually breached for a second time by on-loan Chelsea striker Lukaku who notched his 12th Premier League goal of the season in the 34th minute.

The Belgium international received a cross-field pass on the right flank and skipped past Arsenal defenders Monreal and Thomas Vermaelen before he struck a powerful shot into the corner.

Arsenal briefly flickered into life before the interval and Lukas Podolski´s shot was acrobatically tipped over the crossbar by Tim Howard in the Everton goal.

Wenger´s side began the second period in a determined fashion but Everton simply matched them and their desire was reflected in the manner of the third goal shortly after the hour mark.

Mirallas stole possession off Sagna on the halfway line and headed towards the Arsenal goal where he found Naismith with an intelligent pass.

Naismith saw his path to goal blocked by Szczesny, but the ball popped free and Mirallas, who had continued his run into the penalty area, battled Arteta - a former Everton player - in the scramble which ultimately saw the Arsenal midfielder inadvertently push it into his own net.

From that point there was no way back for Arsenal although a run from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, introduced for Podolski in the 66th minute, saw him rattle the crossbar with a spectacular effort. But it was Everton who finished the stronger of the two sides with Barkley, Baines and substitutes Deulofeu and Aiden McGeady all threatening with runs into the box. (AP)