KANDAHAR—Hibatullah Akhundzada met Rashid Khan after briefly mistaking him for Ajay Devgn and immediately calling him “Diljale” in tribute to his favorite Bollywood film.
“Has Pakistan been informed?” Hibatullah asked.
It had.
Within hours, Pakistani identified King Khan and added Rashid’s IPL career to evidence that India was encircling Pakistan, continuing Islamabad’s tradition of discovering Indian strategic depth wherever Kabul develops a relationship Pakistan did not arrange.
Rashid clarified that he was a cricketer.
Lina Rozbih called the explanation sportswashing. Jafar Haand demanded to know whether shaking Hibatullah’s hand constituted recognition, normalization or an interim government.
Pakistan’s feud with the Taliban also reunited Islamabad with anti-Taliban Afghans who had spent twenty years accusing it of sponsoring the Taliban. Both sides agreed not to let an unusually well-documented past ruin a promising new friendship. Saleh sent a delegation with sheer pera.
“We have always supported an independent Afghanistan,” a Pakistani official said. “We’re delighted its independence is finally useful.”
Hibatullah praised Rashid for uniting Afghans. “Perhaps top-danda can bring everyone together,” he said.
The Taliban had Rashid’s fame, India had his fans, Pakistan had a conspiracy, and the opposition had Pakistan. For the first time in years, every Afghan faction was satisfied with Pakistan’s role in Afghanistan—including Pakistan.