Mala Bakhtiyar
Political Leader & Peshmerga General
Full Name
Hikmat Muhammad Karim
Born
August 20, 1954, Khanaqin
Nationality
Iraqi / Kurdish
Biography & Career
Known as Mala Bakhtiyar, Hikmat Muhammad Karim is a highly senior and influential Iraqi Kurdish political leader. His career spans from 1970 to the present, marking him as a pivotal figure in the political and military landscape of Kurdistan.
He has been a commander and General of the PUK Peshmerga forces and is recognized as one of the most powerful people in Iraq. His influence grew significantly after the PUK's 4th congress in 2019, leading to his current role.
A key moment in his career was being awarded a medal in 2014 by the International Union of Economists and Managers in the European Union for being the best national and intellectual figure of the Middle East, recognizing him as an international democratic figure.
Current & Former Roles
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Joint Leader, Supreme Political Council of the PUK (Patriotic Union of Kurdistan)
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Commander & General of PUK Peshmerga Forces
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Former Chief of the Executive Bureau of the PUK
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Member of the PUK Leadership Council (Since rejoining in 1992)
Selected Books & Publications
Democracy and its Enemies
First Edition 2006, Second Edition 2014
Kurdish Revolution and Modern Changes
Published in 1992 (Updated 2015)
Rational Freedom and Civil Society
Published in 2001
Modern Political Roadmap in the Middle East
Published in 2014
Becoming Rebellious to History
Second Edition in 1998
Spiritual Totalitarianism and Duties of Modern Enlightenment
Published in 2013