Kashmiri parties seek Sheikh Abdul Rashid’s release

Adil Akhzer

Srinagar, July 1

As the National Investigative Agency (NIA) on Monday gave its consent to allow jailed Kashmiri politician Sheikh Abdul Rashid, alias Engineer Rashid, to take oath as Member of Parliament, several political parties in the Valley have demanded the release of the jailed leader.

“Relieved to know he’s been allowed to take oath as MP but his imprisonment itself is an utter travesty of justice in the first place,” People’s Democratic Party chief and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said on Monday.

“GOI (government of India) must release him immediately along with countless other Kashmiri men languishing in jails,” she wrote on X.

She said, “It’s a shame that Engineer Rashid has been behind bars since 2019 on baseless charges.”

Rashid’s lawyer Vikhyat Oberoi confirmed to The Tribune that NIA provided its consent during Monday’s hearing in the bail plea case filed by Rashid. The court is now expected to pass its verdict on Tuesday.

J&K Apni Party chief Altaf Bukhari welcomed the development related to NIA’s permission for oath taking of MP-elect from Baramulla Lok Sabha seat Er Rashid.

“This was long due which finally has seen its realisation, much to the joy and satisfaction of the electorate, spanning in lacs, in North Kashmir,” he wrote on X. NIA’s counsel on Monday said oath-taking of Rashid be subject to some conditions like his not speaking to the media. Bukhari, however, said “restricting the MP-elect from interacting with the media is worrisome and not a healthy sign for democracy.”

Former J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said even as Rashid might take oath as an MP, he would not be able to work as the representative of the people of Baramulla in Parliament. Rashid threw a big surprise after he defeated former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah by a margin of over two lakh votes. Salman Nizami, chief spokesperson of the Democratic Progressive Azad Party led by former Congress stalwart Ghulam Nabi Azad also demanded the release of Rashid.

“Finally, Eng Rashid will take oath in Parliament. NIA has given its consent to permit him to take oath on July 5 in Parliament. He has won with a huge number of votes. We welcome this step. Democracy is still alive. Now he must be released,” Nizami wrote on X.

In 2019, when Article 370 was revoked in Jammu and Kashmir, Rashid was summoned by NIA to New Delhi and was arrested in an alleged money laundering case related to terror funding. Rashid has been lodged in theTihar Jail since then.

Last month, on June 22, a special court in New Delhi had asked the NIA to file its response regarding the plea, and had adjourned the matter. Several leaders in the valley have regularly demanded the central government allow Rashid to take oath as MP and the government respect the mandate of the people.

On June 24, his name was called during the oath-taking ceremony in the parliament. However, he wasn’t administered the oath as he could not get bail. Rashid, 56, a former MLA from the Langate Assembly constituency in Kupwara district, contested as an Independent MP from Baramulla in the recently held Lok Sabha election and won with a huge margin. Last month, he moved the court seeking interim bail, or custody parole to take oath as an MP in the Parliament.

Release other Kashmiris too

GOI (government of India) must release him immediately along with countless other Kashmiri men languishing in jails. It’s a shame that Engineer Rashid has been behind bars since 2019 on baseless charges. — Mehbooba Mufti, PDP chief on X

Laudatory decision

This was long due which finally has seen its realisation, much to the joy and satisfaction of the electorate, spanning in lacs, in North Kashmir. — Altaf Bukhari, J&K Apni Party chief

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