Kurdish PM reaffirms commitment to elevate Halabja to governorate status
Shafaq News/ Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister Masrour Barzani reiterated, on Wednesday, his administration's commitment to recognizing Halabja as a governorate and to advancing the official procedures necessary to achieve this status.
Barzani's remarks came during a meeting with the Halabja Support Council, which comprises prominent figures and dignitaries from Halabja, according to a statement from KRG.
The delegation began the meeting by providing a brief overview of their council and its objectives, presenting a series of demands to improve Halabja’s conditions. Chief among these demands was the completion of formal procedures by the federal government to recognize Halabja as a governorate. They also expressed gratitude for KRG’s decision, initially recommended by Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani, to designate Halabja as a governorate.
The council members also thanked PM Barzani for his recent visit to Halabja and appreciated the decisions he made during the visit, which benefit the area's residents.
Barzani emphasized that “Serving Kurdistan, and Halabja in particular, remains one of the government's key duties, especially given Halabja's significant symbolic importance and the immense sacrifices made by its people. We will exert every effort to provide the best services to Halabja.”
He assured that KRG currently treats Halabja as a governorate and is actively engaging with Baghdad and the Iraqi parliament to finalize the official procedures for its provincial status, which he affirmed is a rightful demand of Halabja's residents.
In June 2013, KRG decided to establish Halabja as a governorate, headquartered in the city of Halabja and encompassing the districts of Halabja, Shahrizor, Penjwen, and Sayid Sadiq, previously administered under al-Sulaymaniyah governorate.
On March 13, 2023, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani announced the Cabinet’s approval of a draft law to create Halabja governorate and referred the proposal to parliament for enactment. However, the parliament failed to pass the law due to political disagreements.
