President Kalam to meet Afzal's family tomorrow

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New Delhi, Oct 4 (UNI) President A P J Abdul Kalam has granted an audience to the family of Parliament attack accused Mohammad Afzal, facing execution, for tomorrow afternoon.

The meeting will take place at about 1345 hrs, Afzal's lawyer N D Pancholi told UNI, adding that Afzal's mother Ayesha Begum, wife Tabassum and son Ghalib would be meeting the President tomorrow along with the two counsels, Nandita Haksar and himself.

''On October 2, I, as a counsel for Afzal, had made a written appeal to the President, on the request of Afzal, that his family be given an audience. In the appeal five names were given and they were accepted today. I received the confirmation call at about 1900 hrs,'' he added.

On whether both brothers of Afzal, Aijaz and Hilal -- were also meeting the President, Mr Pancholi said they had not given their names in the petition.

Afzal's family had yesterday submitted a mercy petition at Rashtrapati Bhawan seeking clemency for the accused and sought an appointment from the President.

The petition was in the name of Afzal's wife Tabassum.

However, the entire family had met Afzal at Tihar Central Jail in yesterday evening.