Mother, son and wife of Afzal Guru to leave for Delhi on Sunday

Sopore, North Kashmir, Sep 28 (UNI) The family members of Afzal Guru, who will be hanged till death on October 20 following conviction for his involvement in the December 13, 2001 attack on Parliament, will leave for Delhi on Sunday.

''We will persuade Afzal to file a mercy petition before the President APJ Abdul Kalam,'' his mother Aayisha said.

However, she said if Afzal, presently lodged in Tihar jail in Delhi, refuses, she will herself file the petition before the President.

Tabasum, wife of Afzal, appealed to President Kalam to spare the life of her husband. At the same time she appealed to Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf to help in the release of her husband.

''Let Pakistan release the Sarabjeet Singh, facing a death sentence in Pakistan and India release my husband also facing the same sentence here,'' she said.

Tabasum said she along with her seven year old son Hilal and mother-in-law will leave for Delhi on Sunday.

''We will try to meet Afzal and persuade him to file the mercy petition,'' she said.

She said they will contact some legal experts in Delhi.

''We have left everything to Allah and pray to him for Afzal,'' she said.

Aayisha said she had lost her younger son Reyaz Guru who died of two months back because he was missing Afzal.

''I do not want to lost another son,'' she said, adding she will go for mercy petition to save Afzal who is innocent.

Meanwhile, Ajaz Guru, cousin of Afzal is leaving for Delhi tomorrow to prepare the preliminary work for filing the mercy petition.

UNI BAS VD KN1835