Srinagar protest, AIP demands immediate release of Engineer Rashid and all political prisoners in IIOJK

Srinagar witnessed a fresh wave of political protest as the Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) held a demonstration, demanding the immediate release of its president and sitting member of the Indian parliament, Engineer Rashid, who remains jailed in Tihar Prison, New Delhi.

The protestors’ call was loud and clear: free Rashid, and free all political prisoners from Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). Placards carried his name, banners showed his picture, and the air was filled with chants of:

“Reha Karo, Reha Karo, Engineer Rashid Reha Karo.”

Each voice echoed not only his case but also the pain of countless other detainees whose only fault is their political belief.

Seven Years of Detention Highlight Unjust and Prolonged Political Imprisonment in IIOJK

MLA Langate, Khurshid Ahmad, stood with the crowd not as a bystander but as a witness to seven years of what he called “unjust and prolonged detention.”

Rashid’s imprisonment, he reminded, is not an isolated incident but part of a wider chain of arrests and political crackdowns in IIOJK.

“This protest is not just for Engineer Rashid,” Khurshid said, “but for every Kashmiri political prisoner, for every innocent person locked up in jails across India.”

His words hit home, for the memory of arrests, raids, and silenced voices runs deep in IIOJK.

Political Detentions Used as a Tool to Silence Dissent

In IIOJK, political dissent is not answered with dialogue but with detention. Prisons take the place of parliament, and bail is treated as an undeserved favour. Leaders are not challenged in debate; they are removed from public view, from their constituencies, from their people.

Such actions are not about justice; they are about control. By keeping Engineer Rashid behind bars for seven years without a fair and quick trial, the authorities have sent a plain message: political opposition will be dealt with by force, not by the ballot.

This shakes the very claims India makes before the world about democracy.

Silence of Local Political Leadership Deepens Public Disillusionment

The protestors’ anger was not only aimed at the occupying authorities but also at political leadership within IIOJK. Khurshid Ahmad openly criticised local political parties and elected representatives for their silence.

“Your election promises spoke of representation,” he said, “but your silence tells another story.”

In a land where voices are already under pressure, such inaction adds to the weight of repression. Representation without action is hollow, and silence in the face of injustice is equal to approval.

Families Bear the Heavy Social and Emotional Cost of Political Detentions

Behind every political prisoner is a family carrying the burden of absence. Rashid’s children have grown up with prison visits instead of their father’s guidance. Wives become both parents, and elders age without their sons by their side.

These stories repeat across IIOJK in every town and every village. The absence is not only personal; it is social. A leader removed from his people leaves behind a gap that no speech can fill.

Protest Demonstrates Enduring Political Will Among the People

The protest in Srinagar was more than a public gathering; it was proof that political will still survives in IIOJK. Chants rose not as mere slogans but as open defiance against an order that tries to silence them.

Every placard in the crowd was a statement: the people have not forgotten their leaders, and they will not accept long detentions as normal.

In a place where fear is pushed, the courage to stand together is a victory on its own.

International Silence Encourages Continuation of Political Repression

While the streets of Srinagar rang with demands for freedom, the world stage remained quiet. Global powers and rights groups that speak loudly on political detentions elsewhere have chosen silence on IIOJK.

This lack of moral fairness allows the cycle of arrests to go on without check. The case of Engineer Rashid, and hundreds like him, calls not for sympathy but for justice — the justice promised under international law and basic human rights.

Restoration of Political Space Essential for Genuine Democratic Process

No country can call itself democratic if its political space is filled not with debate and elections but with arrests and jail cells. Releasing political prisoners is not a favour; it is the first step to any real political process.

If India wishes to claim moral standing, it must allow dissent without fear. Rashid’s ongoing detention damages every statement it makes about democratic values.

The people of IIOJK deserve leaders who can speak for them in parliament, not from prison.

Public Demand for Justice: Immediate Release of All Political Prisoners in IIOJK

The protestors’ call was not a plea; it was a demand based on justice. The release of Engineer Rashid and all other political detainees is not an act of kindness; it is a duty under law and humanity.

In the tense streets of Srinagar, there was a shared resolve: political imprisonment will not be accepted as routine, and those chosen to lead the people must be free to serve them.

Conclusion: Freedom is the Foundation of Peace and Democracy in IIOJK

Engineer Rashid’s seven years in Tihar Prison are a clear sign of the political reality in IIOJK. The protests demanding his release show that the people have not given up their call for justice.

Freedom is not something to be bargained over. It cannot wait until it suits those in power.

The people of IIOJK have spoken, and their message is clear — release the leaders, give back the people’s voice, and end the politics of imprisonment. Only then can there be peace with dignity, and only then will democracy mean anything in IIOJK.