NEW DELHI: Awami Itehad Party (AIP) Chief and MP for Baramulla, Engineer Rasheed, walked free from Tihar Jail after five years on Wednesday.
The interim bail has been granted till October 2, 2024, to allow him to campaign for the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections. “He was released from jail at 4.15 pm,” said a senior prison official.
Taking to reporters outside jail premises, Engineer Rasheed said that he will continue his fight against the political decisions made on August 5, 2019, and to focus on the welfare of the people of Kashmir.
Rasheed expressed his determination to stand against what he described as the divisive ideology of BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “I am committed to working for the welfare of my people and will not be intimidated.”
When asked about the possible alliance with BJP engineer Rasheed said, “I am a victim of BJP policies myself. I will fight against PM Modi’s narrative of ‘Naya Kashmir’ and the peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue until my last breath.I am returning to Kashmir to unite the people, not to divide them. I am prepared to spend my life in jail for this cause if necessary. My aim is to empower the youth and support local businesses, leaving politics to those like me.”
Rashid also responded to queries about National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah, asserting that Abdullah’s motivations are focused on political power rather than the welfare of the people. “Omar Abdullah is fighting for a chair, but my fight is for the people. There is a significant difference between spending time in London and enduring the harsh conditions of Tihar Jail, where prisoners desperately need medical attention,” he said.
Sheikh Abdul Rashid, popularly known as Engineer Rashid, has been in jail since 2019 following his arrest by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in the 2017 terror funding case.
He defeated former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls in Baramulla. Rashid’s outfit Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) is contesting the assembly elections.
