Dhi Qar blocs clash over investment commission leadership

Shafaq News- Dhi Qar

Three political blocs in Iraq’s Dhi Qar Provincial Council are disputing control of the province’s Investment Commission, a source told Shafaq News on Thursday.

The dispute involves the National Approach, the Reconstruction and Development Coalition, and Al-Makina, the source said.

The blocs are competing for three positions: the mayor of Nasiriyah, the director general of the Dhi Qar Health Directorate, and the head of the provincial Investment Commission. However, their differences have centered on the commission’s leadership, the source added.

If the blocs reach an agreement, the provincial council is expected to hold an extraordinary session in the coming days to settle the appointments. Candidates being considered for the investment commission post include Haider al-Asadi, the current director of Dhi Qar’s sewage department; businessman Ali al-Kharsan; and Wahab al-Hamdani, according to the source.

Meanwhile, Dhi Qar Governor Haider al-Husseinaoui has appointed Sadiq al-Khafaji as acting head of the Investment Commission until the provincial council selects a permanent head.

The commission’s former head, Ali al-Dakhili, recently became minister of tourism and antiquities in the government led by Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi.