Awami Itihaad Party (AIP) on Friday said that its President and incarcerated Member of Parliament from Baramulla Engineer Abdul Rashid Sheikh (Er Rashid) will bring a resolution in the upcoming Parliament session beginning July 21, 2025, demanding the restoration of full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.
In a statement, AIP Chief Spokesperson Inam Un Nabi said, “Despite being unjustly jailed, Er Rashid has not allowed the chains of incarceration to silence the voice of his people. He will continue to use every democratic platform available to uphold the aspirations and sentiments of Jammu and Kashmir.”
Inam added that the demand for statehood is not a favour but a constitutional right that was unilaterally taken away in 2019. “It is time Parliament corrects this historic wrong. Er Rashid’s resolution is a reflection of people’s yearning for dignity, democratic rights and self-respect,” he stated.
The party reiterated that Er Rashid’s presence in Parliament is not merely symbolic but a continuation of his decades-long struggle for justice and representation. “His decision to move this resolution, even from behind bars, shows that neither walls nor injustice can suppress the democratic spirit that he embodies,” Inam said.
AIP urged all political parties, especially those claiming to represent Jammu and Kashmir, to support the resolution and stand for constitutional guarantees and the restoration of democratic institutions in the region—(KNO)
