In a significant act of dissent, Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) president and Member of Parliament, Engineer Rashid, recently completed a 30-hour hunger strike while imprisoned in Delhi’s Tihar Jail. The protest, which began on Saturday, September 20, 2025, and extended into its second day, was a potent call to action.
According to AIP spokesperson Inam Un Nabi, Mr. Rashid formally announced his hunger strike in a letter addressed to the Director General of Prisons. The core message of his protest was to highlight the ‘hypocrisy’ of both the Indian and Pakistani governments. He argued that these nations are preoccupied with superficial gestures like ‘cricket diplomacy’ and ‘Asia Cup theatrics,’ while critically neglecting the profound pain, continuous sacrifices, and fundamental human rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
Mr. Nabi emphasized that this hunger strike transcends a mere personal sacrifice. It stands as a profound moral outcry against the perceived duplicity of both governments and serves as a stark reminder of the relentless suffering endured by the residents of Jammu and Kashmir, who continue to bear the heaviest burden in the ongoing political landscape.