Arrested for terror funding and released on interim bail by the Supreme Court to enable him to campaign in the Jammu and Kashmir polls, the appearance of Awami Ittehad Party leader and Lok Sabha MP from Baramulla, Sheikh Abdul Rashid aka Engineer Rashid, in the electoral arena has given jitters to National Conference led by Farooq Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti’ People’s Democratic Party.
His party has also entered into an informal alliance with the outlawed Jamaat-e-Islami outfit, which has significant presence in pockets of South and North Kashmir, dealing another blow to the traditional mainstream parties.
In this interview, Rashid told The Wire’s Jehangir Ali that the two parties have sold false hope to the people of Kashmir while advocating Indo-Pak talks for the resolution of Kashmir issue.
