Jailed Kashmir MP Engineer Rashid Offers to Resign, Party to Consult Cadres

Engineer Rashid, the jailed Member of Parliament from Kashmir's Baramulla constituency, has expressed his intention to resign from his parliamentary seat, citing his inability to serve his constituents due to prolonged detention. His party, the Awami Ittehad Party (AIP), announced that it would seek the opinion of its cadres and take a final decision after a two-day consultative meeting.

Rashid, who defeated former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah by a margin of over 200,000 votes in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, has been in Tihar jail for the past seven years facing terror charges. He maintains that the allegations are unfounded and politically motivated.

In a statement, the AIP said it has held detailed deliberations on the issue and resolved to initiate a broad-based consultation across all 18 assembly segments of the Baramulla constituency. 'After carefully examining all dimensions of the issue, the Committee on Political Affairs has decided that party functionaries at various levels will participate in a two-day consultative exercise to deliberate on whether Engineer Rashid should continue as a Member of Parliament or relinquish the position,' the party stated.

The party emphasized that any decision regarding Rashid's future as MP would be 'guided by the wishes and aspirations of the people who reposed their trust in him and the party.'

Rashid's stunning victory in the 2024 elections had raised hopes among his supporters that he might be released soon. While he has been granted temporary bail on several occasions, including to attend Parliament, he appears frustrated by his continued incarceration and has indicated his desire to resign, according to a party leader.