Gul Agha Ishakzai
گل آغا اسحاق زئی
Governor of Da Afghanistan Bank
Acting
Assumed office
March 2023
Preceded byShakir Jalali (acting)
Principal Finance Officer to the Leader of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan
In office
c. 1995 – c. 2001
LeaderMohammed Omar
Minister of Finance
Acting
In office
24 August 2021 – 30 May 2023
Preceded byKhalid Payenda
Succeeded byNasir Akhund
Personal details
Born1972 (age 51–52)
Band-e-Temur, Maiwand District, Kandahar Province
NationalityAfghanistan
Political partyTaliban (Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan)
ProfessionPolitician

Gul Agha Ishakzai (born c. 1972), also known as Mullah Hidayatullah Badri[1] (Pashto: ملا هدایت الله بدري [hɪdajatʊˈlɑ baˈdri]), is a politician in Afghanistan. As of March 2023, he is serving as the acting chief of Da Afghanistan Bank.[2][3][4] Prior to that he served as the country's Finance Minister.[5][6][7]

Biographical information

Gul Agha was born in Band-e-Temur, Maiwand District, Kandahar Province. He belongs to the Ishaqzai tribe, and was a childhood friend of Taliban founder Mullah Mohammed Omar. He has also been known as Mullah Gul Agha, Mullah Gul Agha Akhund, Hidayatullah, Haji Hidayatullah, Hayadatullah.[8][9]

Role in the Taliban

During the insurgency period, Agha led the Taliban's financial commission.[10] His role within the Taliban organization was to collect taxes (zakat) from Baluchistan Province, Pakistan. He has organised funding for suicide attacks in Kandahar, Afghanistan, and for Taliban fighters and their families. He also has links to the related Haqqani network. A number of countries and international organisations; including the United States, the United Nations, and the European Union, have implemented sanctions against him and his associates under counter-terrorism financing measures.[8][9][11]

He was a long-time associate of Mohammed Omar; he served as Omar's principal finance officer and one of his closest advisors, living in the presidential palace with him during the first Taliban regime.[8][9]

He was made head of Talibans' Financial Commission in mid-2013. According to a UN Security Council report in January 2015, Agha, together with other members of the Quetta Shura, showed interest in restarting peace negotiations with the Afghan Government.[12]

On 24 August 2021, he was appointed acting finance minister by the new Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.[13]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Council Implementing Decision 2014/142/CFSP of 14 March 2014 implementing Decision 2011/486/CFSP concerning restrictive measures directed against certain individuals, groups, undertakings and entities in view of the situation in Afghanistan". Retrieved 12 September 2021.
  2. ↑ "Mullah Badri named as Da Afghanistan Bank chief". 22 March 2023. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
  3. ↑ "Afghani strengthens by 4.4% against US dollar: central bank". 9 August 2023. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
  4. ↑ "Central bank chief Badri wounded in traffic accident". 2 September 2023. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
  5. ↑ "Mullah Hasan Akhund named acting Afghan prime minister". 7 September 2021.
  6. ↑ "Taliban announce 33-man caretaker cabinet". Pajhwok Afghan News. 7 September 2021. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
  7. ↑ "The interior minister of the Afghan government is wanted by the FBI". 7 September 2021.
  8. 1 2 3 Council of the European Union. Council Implementing Decision 2014/142/CFSP of 14 March 2014 implementing Decision 2011/486/CFSP concerning restrictive measures directed against certain individuals, groups, undertakings and entities in view of the situation in Afghanistan (Document 32014D0142). published by the European Union. Retrieved 9 November 2015.
  9. 1 2 3 Archie M. Bolster (United States Department of State Review Authority / The National Security Archive). Instruction to Nominate Four Terrorist Leaders (PDF). George Washington University. Retrieved 30 October 2015.
  10. ↑ United Nations Security Council - Gul Agha Ishakzai
  11. ↑ R. Gunaratna, D. Woodall - page 126 of text published by Rowman & Littlefield, 26 Jan 2015, 288 pages, ISBN 1442245069 [Retrieved 2015-11-09]
  12. ↑ Chair of the Security Council Committee, Gerard van Bohemen - Letter dated to 18 August 2015 United Nations Security Committee Retrieved 2015-11-09
  13. ↑ "Govt officials appointed by the Taliban so far". Geo News. 24 August 2021. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
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