From Game-Changer to Liability
WS/VP DESK
SRINAGAR,DEC 12 : Abrar Rashid, son of Jailed North Kashmir MP Engineer Rashid, is facing mounting internal criticism as a deepening crisis rocks the Awami Ittihad Party (AIP). Once hailed as an electoral game-changer for the party during the Lok Sabha elections, Abrar is now widely perceived as a catalyst for its potential downfall following a controversial public statement.
The turmoil stems from his recent remark labelling former senior AIP leaders as “Buzdil” (cowards). In the wake of this comment, the party has been haemorrhaging grassroots support, with a steady stream of defections reported daily from senior leaders to rank-and-file workers.
Credible sources indicate the AIP is losing ground in parts of North Kashmir. Many members have already distanced themselves from the party, while others are preparing to resign.
A significant blow came earlier this week when Ishtiyaq Qadri, Chairman of the party’s Political Affairs Committee, resigned from its basic membership. His departure appears to have triggered an escalating wave of resignations.
For several consecutive days, leaders and workers across north Kashmir’s Baramulla district have quit the party, explicitly citing Abrar’s statement as their reason for leaving.
The exodus has now claimed several key organisational figures, including: Naseer-ul-Ahad, Youth President for the Sopore Constituency; Ishfaq Altaf Shah, a General Secretary; Naseer Ahmad Parray, General Secretary of a Block Committee; and Gulzar Ahmad Dar, Vice President of the Youth Wing.
On Thursday, Baramulla District President Abdul Qayoom Mir also resigned, further lengthening the list of departing leaders. Citing a “lack of political conviction” and alleging the organisation has been “confined to a single family,” Mir announced he is stepping down from all positions within the AIP.
The mass resignations have plunged the AIP into one of the most severe crises in its recent history, raising serious questions about its internal cohesion and future political viability. The party currently holds only a single assembly seat from Langate.
Notably, Abrar Rashid emerged as a prominent figure during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, becoming an emotional voice in Kashmir while campaigning for his jailed father. Engineer Rashid contested the Baramulla parliamentary constituency against then-candidate Omar Abdullah now Chief Minister and Jammu & Kashmir Peoples Conference (JKPC) candidate Sajad Lone. The incarcerated leader won the seat comfortably.
Engineer Rashid polled 472,481 votes in the constituency. However, the electoral victory was widely credited to his sons, Abrar Rashid and Asrar Rashid. The two campaigned extensively on their father’s behalf, holding rallies and public meetings where they expressed confidence that the massive crowds would translate into votes.
Abrar Rashid’s emotional campaign rallies were instrumental not only in his father’s victory but also in establishing him as a game-changer within the AIP itself—a stature that now appears severely compromised.
