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Shafaq News
3 days ago
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Iraq's Qarah Tabbah district upgrade sparks opposition
Shafaq News – Al-Sulaymaniyah The federal decision to elevate Qarah Tabbah to district status in Iraq's Diyala province has drawn criticism from Kurdish lawmaker Karwan Yarwais, arguing that the move conflicts with constitutional provisions concerning disputed territories. Speaking to Shafaq News, Yarwais confirmed that he submitted a formal memorandum to President Abdul Latif Rashid, warning that the upgrade could impact the demographic balance and administrative contours of Kurdish-majority areas. 'You are constitutionally obligated to safeguard these provisions,' he further urged the president. The lawmaker, who represents Al-Sulaymaniyah, has since launched a campaign to mobilize parliamentary backing. The initiative—supported by 105 lawmakers, including leaders of several blocs—was later submitted by the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) to the Presidency, Parliament, the Prime Minister's Office, and the Ministry of Planning. Earlier this month, the Ministry of Planning confirmed that Deputy Prime Minister and Planning Minister Mohammed Ali Tamim approved the upgrade of Qarah Tabbah from a subdistrict to a district. The decision also brought the areas of Jabara, Koks, and Kullajo under the new jurisdiction. Qarah Tabbah was assigned the administrative code 2109, with Jabara and Koks designated as 21092 and 21093, respectively.
Shafaq News
07-07-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
KRG pushes back against Qara Tapa upgrade
Shafaq News - Diyala The federal plan to upgrade Qara Tapa from a sub-district to a district and include Koks within its boundaries is political and unconstitutional, the Kurdistan Region's Garmian Administration stated on Monday. 'Koks is part of the Kurdistan Region and was formally integrated after 2003 through official regional procedures,' the administration stated. 'Any attempt to detach it from Garmian constitutes a legal violation and will not be accepted.' Residents of Koks, regardless of ethnic or sectarian background, reject the proposal and insist on remaining under Kurdistan's administrative and political jurisdiction, the statement added. The Garmian Administration affirmed it will pursue all legal and political measures to block the plan and preserve Koks' current status. Earlier, Iraqi lawmaker Karwan Yarwais described the Planning Ministry's move as a direct breach of Article 140 of the Iraqi Constitution, which governs the resolution of disputed territories between Baghdad and Erbil. 'Altering administrative boundaries without resolving Article 140 reflects a return to the Arabization tactics of former regimes," he told Shafaq News. On July 2, Iraq's Ministry of Planning confirmed that Deputy Prime Minister and Planning Minister Mohammed Ali Tamim had approved the creation of the Qara Tapa district, encompassing the Jabara (21092) and Koks (21093) sub-districts under a new national administrative designation.
Shafaq News
04-07-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Kurdish MP slams Diyala redistricting: Breach of Iraq constitution
Shafaq News - Diyala Upgrading Qara Tapa in Diyala to district status and merging nearby subdistricts is a violation of Article 140 of Iraq's constitution, Kurdish lawmaker Karwan Yarwais stated on Friday. In a statement, Yarwais warned that the Ministry of Planning's decision to incorporate Jabbarah, Qaws Qulah, and Kulajo into the new administrative unit violates constitutional protections prohibiting changes to disputed territories until Article 140 is fully implemented. Article 140 of Iraq's Constitution mandates the normalization, census, and referendum process to resolve the status of disputed territories between the Iraqi government and the Kurdistan Region, including Kirkuk and areas in Nineveh, Diyala, and Saladin. The process was constitutionally required to conclude by the end of 2007 but remains unimplemented. 'This move mirrors past Arabization policies pursued under the former [Baath] regime,' Yarwais stated, referencing historical boundary manipulation in disputed areas. Recognizing Qara Tapa as a district must be matched by constitutional recognition of restoring Kalar, Kifri, and Chamchamal to Kirkuk — areas previously removed as part of demographic restructuring, he argued. The lawmaker urged Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani to block what he called an unconstitutional shift and called on President Abdul Latif Rashid, as constitutional guarantor, to prevent further imbalance in disputed regions.
