“For me issue is not Assembly elections but to find solution to Kashmir”: Baramulla MP Engineer Rashid

Baramulla (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], September 12 (ANI): Baramulla Lok Sabha MP Engineer Rashid, after being released on interim bail, met with the people of Baramulla on Thursday.

The bail was granted by Delhi’s special NIA court on Tuesday to allow Rashid, accused in a terror funding case, to campaign for the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections.

Speaking to reporters, Baramulla MP said that the most important thing is to find a solution to the ‘Kashmir issue.’

“For me, the issue is not Assembly elections but to find a solution to Kashmir issue is most important,” Rashid said.

Rashid further exuded confidence in his party Awami Itihad Party (AIP) securing a mandate.

“Awami Itihad Party (AIP) will get a complete mandate,” Rashid said.

Earlier, speaking to media in Kashmir, Rashid said that he would not accept the decision taken by the Prime Minister on August 5 on the abrogation of Article 370, and that he was sure that Kashmir would win.

Rashid Engineer said, “I am very grateful that you all are supporting me. I just want to tell everyone that Kashmir is not weak. The people of Kashmir will win. We do not accept the decisions that were taken by the Prime Minister on August 5.”

On September 12, after being granted bail, Rashid Engineer said that the election is important as Kashmir is at a crucial stage.

Lashing out at the centre, he said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Naya Kashmir’ would collapse.

“I will just say that truth will prevail. I hope for the justice. The election is important as Kashmir is at a crucial stage. The people of J&K will successfully fight for justice as they are united. PM Modi’s so-called vision of ‘Naya Kashmir’ will fail,” he said.

In 2005, Rashid was arrested by the Special Operations Group (SOG) in Srinagar for allegedly supporting militants. He was held for three months and 17 days on charges of anti-national activities and incarcerated in various prisons, including Cargo, Humhama, and Raj Bagh.

However, the Chief Judicial Magistrate of Srinagar later dropped all charges against him on humanitarian grounds.

In August 2019, Rashid was again arrested under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). While incarcerated, he filed his nomination for the 2024 parliamentary elections from jail and won by a margin of 204,000 votes, defeating former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.