Latest news with #AmmarAlHakim
Asharq Al-Awsat
12 hours ago
- Business
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Kurdistan Salary Crisis Clouds Eid Celebrations in Baghdad
The festivity of Eid al-Adha in Baghdad was overshadowed by growing political tensions, particularly over the unresolved salary crisis in the Kurdistan Region. While Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani opted for a neutral gesture - issuing a general holiday greeting and performing Eid prayers without comment - other political leaders used the occasion to speak pointedly about the nation's deepening challenges. Al-Sudani attended Eid prayers at Al-Rasoul Mosque in the capital, choosing to remain silent on political matters. However, influential Shiite cleric and head of the Hikma Movement, Ammar al-Hakim, and Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq leader Qais al-Khazali both delivered speeches that touched on the country's fraught political and economic landscape. Al-Hakim warned against the use of political money in Iraq's upcoming parliamentary elections, scheduled for November 11, 2025. Calling the vote 'historic,' he emphasized the need for electoral integrity and urged political blocs to adopt a national code of conduct barring the use of illicit funds. 'There is talk of a market where candidates and voters are being bought. This is corruption and betrayal of the people,' he said. He also addressed Iraq's perennial electricity crisis, calling for a 'strategic state of emergency' to resolve the issue once and for all. 'Despite changing governments and large budgets, the same problems repeat themselves,' he noted. Al-Hakim stressed the need for governments to define clear priorities, including agriculture, water, and clean energy, and said Iraqis 'deserve a dignified life that begins with stable electricity and ends with technological advancement.' Khazali, meanwhile, focused his remarks on the Kurdistan Region salary crisis, criticizing accusations from Kurdish media that he was responsible for the federal government's suspension of public sector salaries in the region. 'It's simply not true,' he said. 'Unfortunately, salaries remain unpaid to this day.' He stressed that despite Iraq's wealth, the country continues to suffer from poverty and unemployment, and argued that the roots of these issues lie in the legacy of the former Ba'ath regime. Khazali also pointed out that Kurdistan experiences higher poverty rates than the rest of Iraq, and that many Iraqi refugees abroad are from the region. Turning to the electricity crisis, he warned this summer could be the most difficult in years, as outages are expected to worsen. 'All past governments focused on increasing output but ignored the need to instill a culture of energy conservation,' he said, warning that some groups may seek to exploit the crisis to sow internal unrest.
Jordan Times
24-03-2025
- Politics
- Jordan Times
King receives head of Hikma National Movement in Iraq
His Majesty King Abdullah received head of the Hikma National Movement in Iraq, Ammar Al Hakim, at Al Husseiniya Palace. His Majesty affirmed the deep-rooted ties between Jordan and Iraq, and discussed opportunities to expand cooperation and coordination in areas of mutual interest, and to ensure regional stability (Photo courtesy of Royal Court) AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Monday received the head of Hikma National Movement in Iraq, Ammar Al Hakim, at Al Husseiniya Palace. During the meeting, His Majesty affirmed the deep-rooted ties between Jordan and Iraq, as well as keenness to expand cooperation and maintain coordination in areas of mutual interest, including efforts to ensure peace and stability in the region, according to a Royal Court statement. The meeting covered regional developments, with the King emphasising the need for an immediate halt of Israel's attacks on Gaza, reinstating the ceasefire and resuming the flow of aid. His Majesty warned of the dangers of the escalating situation in the West Bank, as well as violations of Muslim and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, the statement said. Director of the Office of His Majesty Alaa Batayneh and General Intelligence Department Director Maj. Gen. Ahmad Husni attended the meeting.
