S P O T L I G H T

Benazir, Sharif can’t head parties
Islamabad, June 29
Shortly after proposing constitutional amendments to assume unprecedented powers, Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has promulgated an ordinance that virtually bars Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif from leading their political parties. The Political Parties Order, 2002, promulgated by Musharraf last night, prevents the two exiled leaders from even heading their parties by virtue of the same rule that has disqualified them from contesting the elections scheduled in October. The rule that stops people from contesting after conviction by courts in corruption cases will affect a large number of politicians against whom the military regime is pursuing corruption cases. The new law also authorises the Election Commission not to permit political parties which have failed to hold intra-party elections to contest the general elections. PTI

Delhi Police Commissioner
New Delhi, June 29
Lecturer-turned-IPS officer Radhey Shyam Gupta was today appointed the New Delhi Police Commissioner, in place of Mr Ajay Raj Sharma, who has been moved to the Border Security Force. UNI