**Afghan Minister’s Delhi Press Meet Sparks Outrage Over Exclusion of Women Journalists**
*By Snehil Singh | October 11, 2025, 10:40 AM*
A recent press conference held by Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in New Delhi has ignited controversy after women journalists were barred from attending. The event, hosted at the Afghan Embassy, was reportedly restricted exclusively to male reporters, a decision attributed to Taliban officials accompanying Muttaqi despite India’s recommendation to include female journalists.
**Calls for Protest by Male Journalists**
The exclusion of women journalists drew widespread criticism across India. Former Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram expressed his dismay on social media platform X, stating, “I am shocked that women journalists were excluded from the press conference addressed by Mr Amir Khan Muttaqi of Afghanistan. In my personal view, the men journalists should have walked out when they found that their women colleagues were excluded (or not invited).”
**Questioning India’s Commitment to Women’s Rights**
Lok Sabha MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also took to X to question Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s stance on women’s rights in light of the incident. She wrote, “Prime Minister @narendramodi ji, please clarify your position on the removal of female journalists from the press conference of the representative of the Taliban on his visit to India.”
**Afghanistan’s Position on Women’s Rights**
When questioned about the status of women in Afghanistan, Muttaqi evaded direct answers, emphasizing that “every country has its own systems and values that should be respected.” He claimed that Afghanistan’s situation has improved since the Taliban takeover in August 2021, pointing to the absence of daily deaths compared to prior times. However, his remarks come amid strong global condemnation—including from the United Nations—of the Taliban’s ongoing restrictions on women’s rights and their participation in public life.
**Remarks on Terrorism and India-Afghanistan Relations**
During the press conference, Muttaqi addressed concerns regarding terror groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed. He asserted, “Not a single one of them is in Afghanistan. Not an inch of land is controlled by them in the country.” He urged other nations to take action against terrorist groups as Afghanistan has done, for the sake of peace.
Furthermore, Muttaqi described India as a “close friend,” expressing desire for bilateral relations based on mutual respect and trade.
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The exclusion of women journalists at a major diplomatic event has raised serious questions about gender equality and India’s response to such issues, amplifying debate on women’s rights in the context of international diplomacy.
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/india/afghan-minister-s-delhi-press-meet-sparks-outrage-bans-women-journalists/story
