Shafaq News/ MP Falih al-Khazali accused the caretaker government led by Mustafa al-Kadhimi of precluding more than three billion dinars from Basra's annual entitlements by challenging a provision relevant to the "previously approved construction fund of the governorate" in the 2021 budget law.

In a statement issued earlier today, Thursday, the lawmaker said, "al-Kadhimi and his cabinet held an extraordinary session in the governorate of Basra to discuss the wilful negligence, poor services, and the impediment of the bill of Basra, the country's economic capital city."

"Throughout the years, the political forces, with all their ministers, were unfair with Basra. Soon, I will demand summoning them to the Parliament," he said.

Al-Khazali's statements come in conjunction with Al-Kadhimi's visit to the oil-rich, yet under-served,governorate of Basra in the far south of Iraq.