Senior Pakistani politician meets reclusive Taliban supreme leader in Afghanistan

ISLAMABAD (AP) — A Pakistani political party says its chief met the Taliban supreme leader in Afghanistan. It’s the second publicly known meeting between a foreign official and the reclusive Hibatullah Akhundzada, who rarely appears in public and seldom leaves the southern Afghan province of Kandahar. It’s also the first known meeting between Akhundzada and a Pakistani delegation. The politician’s office on Saturday released the text of an interview he gave to the Taliban-controlled Radio Television of Afghanistan. He confirmed his meeting with Hibatullah Akhundzada and described it as positive. The Taliban haven’t confirmed the meeting and the politician’s confirmation didn’t appear in the interview that was broadcast.