Shafaq News- Baghdad
A dispute over extending the tenure of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) Commission chairman was the sole issue that blocked passage of the PMF Service and Retirement Law and led to its withdrawal from parliament, Iraqi Parliament First Deputy Speaker Adnan Fayhan said on Saturday.
Speaking at the eighth Baghdad Dialogue conference, Fayhan said the proposed extension conflicted with regulations and instructions governing retirement.
He said the existing PMF law provides the force with a legal framework but leaves key issues concerning personnel and its administrative structure unresolved, prompting the proposed service and retirement legislation.
The PMF is an umbrella organization of predominantly Shiite armed groups that was formally incorporated into Iraq’s state security apparatus in 2016, though the role and autonomy of some of its factions have remained a source of political controversy.
Fayhan said an earlier version of the legislation had been expected to pass during former Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi’s government but was postponed. The current draft was approved by the government of former Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani in February 2025 and referred to parliament, where disputes over retirement provisions later stalled its passage.
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"Some brigades and regiments within the PMF had been established for electoral purposes,” he continued, contrasting this with the Interior and Defense ministries, where he said no comparable formations had been created for political or electoral purposes.
He added that an agreement had been reached with Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi to send the legislation back to parliament.
Fayhan placed the law within the broader debate over bringing weapons under state control, also citing the withdrawal of foreign forces and stronger Iraqi air defenses among related demands.
“The dispute is not personal,” Fayhan said, describing the objective as restoring the institution’s standing and ensuring it is properly administered.
A new draft of the PMF Service and Retirement Law is expected to reach parliament within 10 days, he added.