Izzatullah Wasifi

Izzatullah (Ezatullah, Ezzatullah) Wasifi (b. ) is a politician in Afghanistan. He served as the chief of General Independent Administration of Anti Corruption since January 2007. As anti-corruption chief Wasifi leads an 84-person staff. Part of their responsibility is addressing Afghanistan's problems with opium.

Early life

Wasifi is reported to have been a childhood friend of the President Hamid Karzai. He acknowledged the conviction, but disputed the circumstances.

The appeal Wasifi filed with the Parole Board offered a third account. In his appeal American drug enforcement officials agreed to release Wasif and Behbahani, without charge, if they lead them to higher-level drug dealers. USA Today reported: Wasifi told his Parole Board he could not find his original dealer and that he: "...did not know anyone in the drug underworld." He further said he was unaware that he had been indicted in September 1987, two months after his initial arrest and release, and had not been attempting to flee when they were arrested for "unlawful flight" in March 1988. He and his wife Behbahani were arrested for "unlawful flight".

Pizza franchise owner Between 1994 and 1999 Wasifi and his brother Bashir owned a franchise of Ameci Pizza & Pasta.

Return to Afghanistan

Wasifi returned to Afghanistan in 2001, following the Taliban's ouster.

Governor of Farah Province

Karzai appointed Wasifi the Governor of Farah Province. Accounts from Western officials generally agree that his leadership was ineffective. He made no real efforts to control Afghanistan's poppy harvest in his province.

Appointment to head the General Independent Administration of Anti Corruption

Karzai appointed Wasifi to head the General Independent Administration of Anti Corruption in March 2007. The appointment raised some controversy, because of the twenty-year-old US drug conviction.