The Hindu : Front Page : Naushad's wife in Delhi on mission of hope

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jan 23, 2006

Front Page

Front Page

Naushad's wife in Delhi on mission of hope

Staff Reporter

Looks forward to pardon for her husband by the Saudi King

HOPING FOR MERCY: Suhaila, wife of Abdul Lattif Naushad, with her daughter in New Delhi on Sunday. Photo: Sushil Kumar Verma

NEW DELHI: Suhaila, wife of 34-year-old Abdul Lateef Naushad who is lodged in a Saudi jail after a court ordered gauging out one of his eyes, arrived here in the Capital late on Sunday night with the hope that her husband would be granted pardon by the visiting Saudi King Abdullah, the chief guest at this year's Republic Day Parade.

"I was in the train when I came to know through a newspaper that my husband's case was being considered for pardon. I hope that he gets freedom as soon as possible. But, there is no official confirmation so far that he has been pardoned," said a visibly tense Suhaila, who has come here along with her two-and-half year old daughter, who has not seen her father since her birth. "I have come here with the belief that the King would pardon my husband,'' she said.

Meanwhile, a leading television news channel reported that the victim had pardoned Naushad.

The Member of Parliament from Kerala, Chengara Surendran, who has come forward to help Suhaila, said she would meet the Union State Minister of Foreign Affairs, E. Ahamed, on Monday morning to find out whether there was any official communication from the Saudi government regarding Naushad's case.

Naushad has been languishing in the Saudi jail since 2003 after he had a fight with the Saudi national. During trail, a Saudi court ordered gouging out one of his eyes for justice.

Apart from the Kerala Govt. and political parties, the Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia and the international non-government organisation, Human Rights Watch, were pursuing the case to secure Naushad's pardon.

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