Amid backlash regarding the exclusion of women journalists from a press conference featuring Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in Delhi, female reporters covering his visit to Deoband reported that they were permitted to attend the event at Darul Uloom, receiving support from the management and respectful treatment from the organizers.
“We were not stopped or asked to leave. In fact, the management helped us with access and arrangements inside the campus,” a female journalist who preferred to remain anonymous said.
She added, “There was some initial confusion, but it was quickly resolved. There were other female journalists too.”
Muttaqi’s trip to India included a schedule that featured a cancellation of one of his addresses at Darul Uloom Deoband. Nevertheless, an internal meeting with representatives from Darul Uloom proceeded as planned.
In response to earlier reports suggesting restrictions on women journalists, Darul Uloom spokesperson Maulana Ashraf Usmani asserted that there was no ban on female media personnel. “No one was restricted from covering the event, irrespective of their gender,” he stated. “We respect all members of the media and ensure their participation.”
This clarification follows widespread outrage stemming from the Delhi incident, in which women journalists were barred from attending Muttaqi’s press briefing—a decision that provoked criticism from media associations, opposition parties, and human rights organizations.
Conversely, reporters in Deoband described a more amicable and cooperative environment. “We were able to do our work without interference,” another female journalist reported. “The management even assisted with translation and logistics.”
Muttaqi’s visit represents the first high-level interaction between the Taliban government and Indian religious institutions since the regime reinstated control in Kabul. During his time in Deoband, he engaged in an internal discussion with the Darul Uloom board and briefly interacted with Afghan students.
Tags: Afghan female journalists, Deoband visit, Delhi exclusion, media ban, women’s rights
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