Ghulam Nabi Azad’s Party Backs Jailed Candidate Engineer Rashid in Baramulla

GG News Bureau
Srinagar, 17th May. The Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP), led by former Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, announced its support for Engineer Rashid, an Independent candidate contesting the Lok Sabha elections from the Baramulla constituency in North Kashmir. Engineer Rashid, also known as Abdul Rashid Sheikh, is currently incarcerated in connection with a terror funding case.

The decision to support Rashid’s candidature was made by DPAP’s North Kashmir in-charge, Taj Mohiuddin, citing Rashid’s commitment to fighting for the people’s cause. Mohiuddin highlighted Rashid’s innocence, stating that the jailed leader has consistently advocated for the welfare of the people and deserves justice.

Rashid, who heads the regional Awami Ittehad Party, previously extended his support to Ghulam Nabi Azad during the 2015 Rajya Sabha elections, which prompted Azad’s party to reciprocate the gesture. Rashid filed his nomination from Tihar Jail and is set to contest from Baramulla, with the polling scheduled for May 20.

Despite Rashid’s incarceration, DPAP stands firm in its decision to endorse his candidacy, emphasizing the importance of standing by individuals who have made sacrifices for the betterment of society.

Engineer Rashid’s political journey has been tumultuous, marked by his independent candidacy in the 2014 assembly elections from Langate in North Kashmir. However, his current legal predicament stems from his involvement in a terror-funding case, where he has been implicated alongside prominent figures like Hafiz Saeed of the banned Jamaat-ud-Dawa and Syed Naveed Mushtaq Ahmad alias Naveed alias Babu, a commander of the banned Hizb-ul-Mujahideen.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has been investigating Rashid’s alleged links to terror financing, with his name surfacing during interrogations of individuals involved in funding separatist and terror activities in the region.