A court in Delhi has granted two weeks’ bail to jailed Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) president and Member of Parliament Engineer Rashid, hours after his father passed away in a hospital in the national capital.
“The bail was granted till June 2. It’s an interim bail to allow MP Rashid to attend the funeral prayers and participate in the final rites of his father as per religious customs,” AIP spokesman Inam Un Nabi told The Hindu.
MP Rashid’s father Haji Khazir Mohammad Sheikh, 85, who was a teacher by profession, passed away on Monday (May 18, 2026) morning at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).
Several political parties, including J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader Iltija Mufti and Kashmir chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, had pleaded for an interim bail in favour of MP Rashid to attend the funeral.
Mr. Nabi said the deceased will be laid to rest at 2 p.m. on Tuesday (May 19, 2026) at their ancestral village, Mawar Payeen, Qalamabad in north Kashmir’s Handwara.
In a joint condolence message issued by National Conference president Dr. Farooq Abdullah and other NC leaders, they prayed for the eternal peace of the departed soul and offered strength to the grieving family during this difficult time.
“Deeply saddened to hear about the passing away of Engineer Rashid sahab’s father. The pain of losing a parent is quite devastating and I pray to Allah SWT to give the family patience & strength at this difficult time. May Allah SWT give him the highest place in Jannah. Ameen,” said PDP president Mehbooba Mufti.
CPI(M) leader M.Y. Tarigami and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq also expressed their condolences.