Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraq’s Parliament on Sunday dismissed National Investment Commission (NIC) Chairman Haider Mohammed Makiyya and referred his file to the Federal Commission of Integrity after a 21-question probe into investment opportunities allegedly awarded in breach of laws and regulations.

A parliamentary letter formalized the July 9 vote, which passed by an absolute majority after Makiyya failed to attend his questioning. MP Adel Al-Rikabi, who led the process, noted that Makiyya had been officially notified three weeks earlier.

The National Investment Commission maintained that it had submitted two postponement requests because two questioning files were being handled simultaneously and required documented responses from several departments. It also cited a pending criminal case linked to the procedures and confirmed that an Integrity Commission team had reviewed the questions and prepared answers.

Created under Iraq’s 2006 Investment Law, the commission sets federal investment policy and licenses major projects, and investments worth more than $250 million require Council of Ministers approval.

Makiyya’s dismissal coincides with the Dawn Crackdown, a nationwide anti-corruption campaign launched on June 28 under Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi, although Parliament has not linked his case to the operation. Government figures recorded 47 detentions during the campaign’s first 24 hours, while Integrity Commission sources put the total at 67 and expected it to exceed 200.

Read more: Iraq's Dawn Crackdown by numbers: 67 arrests explained

At least 19 senior figures have been publicly identified, including 14 current or former lawmakers, with cases spanning nine provinces and sectors such as oil, electricity, customs, trade, agriculture, and border administration.

Read more: Iraq detains top officials in anti-corruption sweep: What we know so far