Former Speaker Al-Halbousi accuses PMF head of exploiting retirement law for political gain

Shafaq News/ On Tuesday, Mohammed Al-Halbousi, head of the Taqadum Party, attacked Faleh Al-Fayyad, head of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), for exploiting the retirement and service law for PMF members, which Parliament is set to discuss, for electoral gains.

"I found no binding text in the new draft law on service and retirement for the PMF that breaches the constitutional principle of military and security service independence or mandates that the head of the PMF must be a political party leader using the Forces for political purposes," Al-Halbousi posted on X.

He added, "There is no clear text permitting the head of Ataa Movement, Faleh Al-Fayyad, to use the Forces for partisan or personal purposes, outside the constitutional role of maintaining security and defending the country."

"I did not also find any text that permits threatening members of the Popular Mobilization with dismissal or expulsion to coerce them and their families into voting. The only relevant provision, in Article 32 of the law, allows for compulsory retirement if a member's incompetence is proven. Will this provision be misused for electoral or political gain?" he further noted.

On Wednesday, the House of Representatives will start the first reading of the draft law on service and retirement for the PMF, as per the Parliament's Media Department agenda.