Shah Faesal Steps Down as JKPM Prez, May Return to Administration

The news of Faesal stepping down came shortly after his release from a nearly year-long detention.

File image of bureaucrat-turned-politician Shah Faesal.

(Photo: The Quint)

Bureaucrat-turned-politician Shah Faesal on Monday, 10 August, stepped down from the position of president of Jammu and Kashmir People’s Movement (JKPM), say media reports.

According to ANI, senior leader Feroza Peerzada has been appointed as the interim president of the party till formal elections can be held.

According to India Today, Peerzada confirmed the news of Faesal stepping down, and said that “the leaders of the party have hence given the responsibility to run the affair to me”.

The news of Faesal stepping down came shortly after his release from nearly a year-long detention.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR SHAH FAESAL?

Some reports suggest that Faesal is likely to go back to administration, after he was told that his resignation from the post of an IAS officer was still not accepted.

Referring to such reports, Peerzada said:

“We don’t know what exactly he will do. He has been talking about going for studies to the United States. There are also reports of his joining back the administration. We don’t know exactly as of now.”     

India Today reported that on Sunday Faesal had removed his description as the president of JKPM from his Twitter bio.

Reportedly, even after Faesal had submitted his resignation from the post of the IAS officer, and formed his own political party, his name was not removed from the list of IAS officers in J&K.

BACKGROUND

Ex-IAS exam topper Faesal, had taken a year-long sabbatical in 2018 to go for studies to Harvard, and after his return had launched JKPM in 2019. However, following the Abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, Faesal was among the many political leaders placed under detention.

(With inputs from ANI and India Today.)