Despite family's pleas, Afzal remains against mercy petition

New Delhi, Oct 3 (UNI) Family members of Mohammed Afzal, facing execution on being convicted in the Parliament attack case, today met him at Tihar jail but failed to persuade him to file a personal mercy petition to the President for clemency.

Despondent after meeting Afzal at Tihar Jail this evening, along with Afzal's brothers Aijaz and Hilal, mother Ayesha and 7-year-old son Ghalib, his wife Tabassum told mediapersons that he (Afzal) refused to file a mercy petition as he did not have faith in the system.

''He is not ready to file the petition himself as he said he had been let down at all levels in the courts and had no more hope left.'' However, Afzal's elder brother Aijaz said he had allowed the family to file the petition.

''He said if we want to we could file the petition seeking clemency. However, he insisted on not doing it himself as he had got no justice in the lower courts and even at the High Court so he saw no hope from anywhere else.'' Claiming that Afzal was fine and mentally fit in the jail, Aijaz said he appealed to the people of Kashmir to protest peacefully and not resort to violence. ''We also talked about the family and other personal things.'' On being asked if the mercy petition was rejected what would they do next, Aijaz said, ''We would again file a mercy petition. We would even try to persuade Afzal to make an appeal for mercy.'' Directly hitting out at S A R Geelani, who he said was trying to hog the limelight with their ''NGOs and other organisations'' and ''playing their own agenda'', Aijaz claimed he and his family was being brushed aside and ''others trying to highjack the issue''.

Geelani was exonerated in the case.

''Afzal has clearly told us that no NGO or organisation was speaking on his behalf nor was allowed to collect money on his behalf." Criticising the NGOs and organisations like Geelani's 'Society for the Protection of Detainees' and Prisoners' Rights (SPDPR)' canvassing for Afzal, Aijaz said, ''We have got nothing to do with any of these people. They are running their own agenda in the guise of fighting for Afzal. They are using his name for their own benefit.'' Afzal's younger brother Hilal, in an emotional appeal said, ''We are very poor people and ordinary human beings. We have nothing against anyone and we simply seek the mercy of the President to pardon Afzal.'' Earlier this afternoon a petition, a collective appeal by the entire family, was filed with the President in the name of Tabassum, Afzal's wife.

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