MESOP TODAYS “FAT CATS OF KURDISTAN” – NAJMADDIN KARIM (PUK)

Governor Najmaddin Karim Takes 23% of Kirkuk Oil Revenues: Observer / There are people who have joined PUK only to find a path for their corrupt business, Bahroz Jafar says

18 Sept 2016 – ERBIL — A Kurdish political observer has accused some members of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) in Kirkuk of being involved in corruption, claiming that governor Najmaddin Karim takes 23% of the oil revenues in the province. In his most recent article posted on his Facebook account, Bahroz Jafar says there are “mafia-like people” in Kirkuk who govern Kirkuk using the influence of PUK; some of them have joined the Kurdish party only to smuggle oil, arrogate lands and launder money. Jafar says these people have their own armed men and are claiming political positions in the parties branch offices in Kirkuk, “but that may not be called PUK politburo office, and no politician can be found there.”

“Non of these people are committed to their duties on behalf of the political parties they belong to; but they are busy with other businesses, like smuggling vehicles with people from Hawija. There are people who have arrogated thousands of land swaths which are liberated from Daesh,” he said, using an Arabic acronym for Islamic State. He claimed that 23% of Kirkuk oil revenues goes to governor Najmaddin Karim’s personal bank account, and he has created a group of millionaires around himself. “The Syndicate for Journalists has been closed as they don’t have a building to sit in, there is no guarantee for [preserving] freedom of speech, there is no official in the city to speak about serious issues.” www.mesop.de