Decide on Afzal keeping in view J-K situation: PDP to Prez

Srinagar, Aug 11 (PTI) Expressing concern over the
possible fallout of the Home Ministry's recommendation on
Parliament attack convict Mohammad Afzal Guru's mercy plea,
the PDP (People's Democratic Party) on Thursday urged the
President to take a decision keeping in view the "sensitive"
situation in Jammu and Kashmir.
"The party's senior leadership today met here under the
chairmanship of the party patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and
decided to appeal the President to take into consideration the
highly sensitive situation in J&K which is trying to come to
terms with huge material and humanitarian loss that it has
suffered over the past two decades," a PDP spokesman said.
He said the PDP feels that Guru's is a fit case for
displaying compassion in broader national interest even as the
party strongly condemns terrorism in any form.
"The party expects the President to take into
consideration the universal disapproval of death penalty and
also the highly fragile situation in the state," the PDP
spokesman said.
He said carrying out the death sentence could impede the
efforts at finding a way out of the political and humanitarian
crisis that the state has been facing.
The government is understood to have recommended to the
President rejection of the clemency petition of Parliament
attack convict Guru.
"The state and nation of India have to rise above the
individual acts of crime, howsoever serious and condemnable
they may be, and respond to the larger situation in J&K in
accordance with our national ethos, understanding and
reconciliation," the party spokesman said.
He said the punishment, if carried out, would only add
to the trust deficit between Jammu and Kashmir and rest of the
country.