He argued that while he opposed the referendum himself, the Kurdish leaders should have either not held it at all or followed through with it and defended it in the Federal Court.
Abdulkhalik highlighted the international consensus against the referendum, stating that it was held at an inappropriate time and without proper preparation. He argued that the referendum should have been held during the Ba'ath regime's rule, when it would have been more likely to gain international acceptance.
"There are two sensitive regions in the world. One is the Middle East, which is under the influence of the Sykes–Picot Agreement. The other is Central Africa, which is under the influence of the Berlin Congress. Both fall under the Arabic principle of 'عدم المس بالارث الاستعمار' (not touching colonial inheritance). It means we should not interfere with the colonial inheritance, including these two regions. Our leadership unknowingly entered this issue and suffered a great defeat," he said.
He further criticized the Kurdish leadership for failing to push for their right in the Federal Court after the referendum, comparing the situation to "heart and brain surgery" that was not performed properly. He argued that the referendum resulted in significant damage to the Kurdish people and would continue to do so for another ten years.
"The biggest damage from the referendum was the loss of Kurdish control over Kirkuk, which was subsequently invaded by American, British, and Iraqi forces, with apparent involvement from Iranian, Turkish, and their representatives," he said. "The Kurds have been under immense pressure for Arabization in these disputed areas. The Kurdish leadership facilitated this betrayal."
Abdulkhalik believes that the 2017 referendum created a significant number of internal problems and that, had it not been held, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) would have a stronger structure, legal power, and fewer internal divisions.
He also pointed out that the KRG's weakened diplomatic standing is a direct consequence of the referendum.