Baghdad: The Parliamentary Security and Defense Committee has announced that the Popular Mobilization Forces Law is set to play a crucial role in ensuring that weapons are restricted to state control. Yasser Iskandar Watout, a member of the committee and the Reconstruction and Development Coalition, emphasized the importance of this legislation in regulating the operations of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) and distinguishing them from other armed factions.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, Watout revealed that the Prime Minister has pledged to present the draft law, which focuses on restricting weapons to the state, as well as the PMF Law, to the Parliament soon. This submission is expected to occur before the September 30th deadline, coinciding with the planned withdrawal of international coalition forces and the effort to centralize control of arms.

Watout further elaborated that the PMF Law is designed to formalize the PMF Commission’s activities, preventing unauthorized groups from bearing arms and ensuring that only state-sanctioned entities have access to weapons. He clarified that while the government holds the authority to respond to external aggressions, such as the American-Saudi actions against PMF headquarters, any decision to engage in warfare would require Parliament’s consent following a governmental recommendation.

In addition to the PMF Law, Watout highlighted ongoing discussions within the Parliamentary Security and Defense Committee regarding several significant legislative proposals. These proposals include the retirement laws for the Internal Security Forces and the Ministry of Defense, as well as amendments to the Traffic Law. A forthcoming committee session will aim to finalize the retirement laws, which address issues like base salary adjustments, benefits for martyrs and the wounded, retirement age, and hazard pay, before their presentation to the Speaker of Parliament for scheduling a first reading.