Slemani — Veteran Kurdish politician and senior Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) figure Mala Bakhtiar on Wednesday questioned whether he is genuinely regarded as a “national asset,” despite being described as such in a congratulatory letter from PUK President Bafel Talabani, while stressing that he remains a guardian of the party’s history and undisclosed secrets.
In a statement issued on June 10, Bakhtiar responded to a letter sent by Talabani on the occasion of the 51st anniversary of the founding of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan. He said he had intentionally delayed his response in order to publish it on the anniversary of the launch of the New Revolution.
In the letter, Talabani described Bakhtiar as a “leading, struggling, and loyal comrade,” adding that he would “always remain a national asset for Kurdistan and the PUK” and praising his political experience and decades-long struggle.
While thanking Talabani for the remarks, Bakhtiar questioned their sincerity, pointing to what he described as hostile media campaigns and criticism directed against him by individuals affiliated with the party.
“When I read the comments on the PUK’s fake pages and hear the direction of the propaganda against me, while simultaneously knowing the views of your close comrades which are filled with slander, I am forced to ask: Do you still truly consider me a national and PUK asset?” he wrote.
Bakhtiar said his current distance from the party stems from disagreements over ideology and party principles rather than personal disputes. He added that he has remained committed to his political convictions and refused to compromise them for positions or personal gain.
In a pointed message directed at the party’s leadership, Bakhtiar said he remains a custodian of the PUK’s history and many of its undisclosed secrets.
“I am a devoted guardian of the history of the martyrs and most of the PUK’s secrets—those secrets that are earth-shattering for history, yet I have not disclosed them due to political morality, despite all the slander being thrown at me,” he said.
Bakhtiar concluded his message by paying tribute to the New Revolution and to the legacy of Jalal Talabani, commonly known as Mam Jalal. He said he would place a wreath at Talabani’s shrine and recalled having protected the late Kurdish leader from what he described as dangerous plots and conspiracies on multiple occasions.
He also congratulated veteran Peshmerga fighters and the families of martyrs, expressing confidence that history would ultimately vindicate his position and that accusations against him would fade over time.
Bakhtiar, whose full name is Hikmat Muhammad Karim, is a longtime politician, writer, and one of the founding-era figures of the PUK. He previously served as head of the Executive Body of the party’s Political Bureau and is widely known for his secular political views and influential role in Kurdish intellectual and political life. In recent years, he has emerged as a prominent critic of the party’s leadership and internal management.
