Iraqi parliament to question head of National Investment Commission

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraqi lawmaker Adil al-Rikabi said the National Investment Commission has failed to respond to parliamentary questions concerning investment contracts and corruption cases, calling the absence of a reply a failure to carry out its legal duties. Al-Rikabi said there are suspicions of irregularities and corruption in the contracts under review and announced that legal action would be taken against the commission’s head, including a judicial process covered by parliamentary immunity. He said the formal procedure to summon the commission’s head for questioning in a parliamentary session has been initiated. According to parliamentary sources, the commission’s head is expected to appear at the podium in the near future. Al-Rikabi said the cases must be resolved transparently, warning that investor confidence would otherwise be undermined. No further details on the timing of the questioning or the specific contracts under review were immediately available.