Afzal’s family to seek pardon from President

NEW DELHI: The family of Mohammad Afzal Guru, set to be hanged on October 20 for his role in the ’01 attack on Parliament, arrived here on Monday from Srinagar to seek pardon for him from President.

Afzal’s wife Tabasum, his seven-year-old son Ghalib, mother Ayesha Begum, brother Hilal Ahmed Guru and father-in-law Ghulam Mohammed flew today without much media fanfare.'

The family is expected to approach the President to seek clemency for Afzal, convicted for plotting the December 13 Parliament attack that left 14 people dead including five armed assailants.

“We will go and meet Afzal at Tihar tomorrow (Tuesday) afternoon before taking a final decision on filing the mercy plea,” said his second brother Aijaz Ahmed Guru, who received the family at the airport.

Aijaz was accompanied by SAR Geelani, who was acquitted in the case earlier. Though Afzal has indicated that he was not willing to seek clemency, Tabasum had said she will go to the President on behalf of their children and his mother to appeal for forgiveness.

Tabasum, a nurse by profession, had said her husband was innocent and implicated deliberately in the case. The family will also release a booklet containing letters written by Afzal from jail.

The announcement of the date of execution of Afzal by a court here had triggered widespread protests in the Kashmir valley with chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and major political parties seeking lesser punishment for him.