Kirkuk investment chief alleges land sale networks target state property

Shafaq News- Kirkuk

Organized groups and "corruption mafias" have engaged in the illegal sale and encroachment of state-owned land, Kirkuk Investment Commission Chairman Dair Zayan said on Wednesday, while confirming that the commission has revoked investment licenses for projects that violated the law.

Zayan told Shafaq News that the commission reviewed aerial images from 2017 showing that one investment site had no encroachments before authorities granted its investment license, adding that construction and illegal occupation of the land began only after information about the planned investment project became public.

“The Investment Commission has no security or executive authority to prosecute those involved in selling or occupying state land,” he said, calling on the relevant authorities in Kirkuk to take legal action against real estate offices and "corruption mafias" to protect public property and prevent illegal land seizures. Zayan also stated that the commission does not own the land allocated for investment projects. He explained that ownership belongs to various government entities, including the Ministry of Finance, the Kirkuk Governorate's property department, Kirkuk Municipality, and other ministries. The chairman stressed that the commission holds no land title deeds and that the legal responsibility for protecting the properties rests with their respective owners.

Addressing revoked investment licenses, Zayan said the commission withdrew one previously issued license after identifying multiple violations, including the sale of the same housing unit to more than one buyer and the unlawful use of land designated for public services. “The resulting disputes remain unresolved, and the relevant authorities continue to address them.”

The Judges Residential Complex holds a valid investment license, and the work on the project is proceeding in accordance with legally approved plans and studies, he noted, emphasizing that the investor has no authority to encroach on or seize neighboring land “because all project plans require approval from the relevant authorities and the Ministry of Construction and Housing.”