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]
Gul Agha Ishakzai گل آغا اسحاقزی | |
|---|---|
| Governor of Da Afghanistan Bank | |
Acting | |
| Assumed office March 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Shakir Jalali (acting) |
| Principal Finance Officer to the Leader of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan | |
| In office c. 1995 – c. 2001 | |
| Leader | Mohammed Omar |
| Minister of Finance | |
Acting | |
| In office 24 August 2021 – 30 May 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Khalid Payenda |
| Succeeded by | Nasir Akhund |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1972 (age 51–52) Band-e-Temur, Maiwand District, Kandahar Province |
| Nationality | Afghanistan |
| Political party | Taliban (Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan) |
| Occupation | Politician, Taliban member |
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]