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Kashmiri groups call for mercy on death convict
 Political parties in Indian held Kashmir have called for clemency for Kashmiri national Mohammad Afzal Guru, who is facing hanging on October 20 for his role in the December 13, 2001, Indian parliament attack. Both anti and pro-India parties have opposed the death penalty to Afzal. Various anti-India political parties held demonstrations in Srinagar on Wednesday, while pro-India parties like the People's Democratic Party (PDP) and the local unit of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) have also opposed the sentence. The political parties in Srinagar believe that Afzal's death would raise tensions in Kashmir and thereby affect the peace process. Mehbooba Mufti, president of the PDP, said that she had asked the Indian prime minister to pardon Afzal. CPI-M leader Mohammad Yusuf Tarigama has sought an appointment with President APJ Abdul Kalam to seek a presidential pardon for Afzal. "All I am going to tell the president is that his (Afzal's) hanging will vitiate the peace process and will cause more bloodshed," he said. Posted by: Fred 2006-09-29 |
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