Srinagar, Sept 07: The Awami Itihad Party (AIP), led by jailed leader Engineer Rashid, unveiled its manifesto on Saturday ahead of the upcoming assembly elections in Jammu & Kashmir. The manifesto promises the unconditional release of all prisoners, including those held under the Public Safety Act (PSA) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
During a press conference held here, the party’s Chief Spokesperson Inam-un-Nabi said that if elected, AIP would work towards revoking laws such as the PSA and UAPA. The party said it is committed to banning the sale of alcohol across the valley and providing free medical tests in all hospitals in Jammu & Kashmir.
Vowing to fight for the restoration of Article 370, securing job and land rights for J&K’s people, and ensuring the holistic development of J&K, the manifesto lays out plans to combat unemployment and drug addiction and address the welfare of daily wage workers while promising to turn Kashmir into a “jail-free” state.
Among its key assurances are the rehabilitation of divided families across borders, improving healthcare access, and making education more inclusive. The party also stressed its commitment to reviewing the “wrongful termination” of government employees and fighting for the restoration of the University of Kashmir’s autonomy.
AIP has also promised to restore the schemes and the autonomous status of the University of Kashmir. The party pledged to provide free computers to students who have passed the 8th grade.
“Our commitment is to safeguard the interests of the people of Jammu & Kashmir. We urge you to give us a chance, and we will make every effort to protect students and traders who study and work outside of Jammu and Kashmir,” the party leaders declared.
One of the promises in the manifesto is to reinstate the decades-old Darbar Move, a biannual practice of changing the erstwhile state’s capital between Jammu and Srinagar that was cancelled by the current administration a few years ago.
Engineer Rashid, who is imprisoned in Tihar Jail on terror funding allegations, recently won the Lok Sabha election from north Kashmir’s Baramulla constituency, defeating former chief minister Omar Abdullah and People’s Conference chairman Sajad Lone.
During the press conference, the AIP also released a list of seven candidates from north Kashmir for the upcoming assembly elections. The candidates are Er Muneer Khan for Uri, Mohammad Muzaffar Dar for Rafiabad, Adv Mursaleen for Sopore, Peerzada Firdous for Kupwara, Adil Nazir Khan for Gulmarg, Khursheed Ahmad Sheikh for Langate and Abdul Majid Banday for Handwara.
