A press conference held by Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in New Delhi on Friday garnered attention not for its content but due to the exclusion of women journalists from the event. The conference, hosted at the Afghan Embassy shortly after Muttaqi’s meeting with Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, was limited to a small number of male reporters, reflecting the gender restrictions commonly criticized under the Taliban regime.
Sources familiar with the situation reported that the Taliban officials accompanying Muttaqi made the decision regarding the journalists allowed to attend. Although Indian authorities suggested including women reporters in the invite list, this recommendation was not acted upon.
Former Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram expressed his dismay over the incident, stating that male journalists should have walked out upon discovering that their female colleagues were excluded. “I am shocked that women journalists were excluded from the press conference addressed by Mr. Amir Khan Muttaqi of Afghanistan,” he remarked on X (formerly Twitter).
Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra criticized the Indian government for permitting the Taliban minister to exclude women journalists, labeling it a dishonor to every Indian woman. “Shameful bunch of spineless hypocrites,” she added.
The Taliban government has faced continued global condemnation for its policies restricting women’s rights, education, and public participation. When questioned about women’s conditions in Afghanistan, Muttaqi avoided directly addressing the issue, emphasizing instead the need to respect each country’s customs and laws. He noted, “Every country has its own customs, laws, and principles that should be respected.”
Muttaqi asserted that the situation in Afghanistan has improved since the Taliban takeover in August 2021, contrasting current conditions with those prior. He claimed that prior to Taliban rule, daily fatalities in Afghanistan ranged from 200 to 400, whereas no such losses have occurred in recent years. “Laws are in force, and everyone has their rights,” he stated, adding that allegations of rights violations stem from a misunderstanding of the situation.
Despite his claims of stability, the absence of women journalists at the press conference underscored the ongoing issues that shape Afghanistan’s international reputation—one where peace and progress appear to be constructed without the input of half the population.
