'No deliberate exclusion': Afghan FM Muttaqi holds another presser with women journalists' presence after backlash

Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi on Sunday (October 12) held another press conference in New Delhi where both women and men journalists were present, following massive outrage over alleged exclusion of female reporter last time.

This came after widespread criticism from opposition parties and media bodies over the absence of female journalists at his earlier presser at the Afghan Embassy in New Delhi on Friday.

Addressing the controversy, Muttaqi said there was no intention to deliberately exclude women.

“Regarding the press conference, it was due to the short notice. The participation list was prepared with specific journalists, and it was neither a technical issue nor any deliberate exclusion. It was not intended,” he said.

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Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, who is in India on a week-long visit, faced criticism after his first press conference in New Delhi on Friday featured no women journalists. Photographs from the event showed a men-only briefing, prompting condemnation from journalists, opposition leaders, and women’s rights advocates.

The Editors Guild of India and the Indian Women’s Press Corps (IWPC) strongly criticised the Friday presser, calling it a case of “blatant gender discrimination on Indian soil.”

Following the backlash, Muttaqi scheduled another press conference in Delhi on Sunday, this time inviting women reporters. His team described the event as “inclusive” and open to all members of the media.

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“While diplomatic premises may claim protection under the Vienna Convention, that cannot justify blatant gender discrimination in press access on Indian soil,” the Editors Guild said in a statement. The IWPC urged the Indian government to raise the issue with the Afghan Embassy to prevent such exclusion in the future.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) clarified that it had “no involvement” in the Friday event. “The MEA had no role in the press interaction held yesterday by the Afghan FM in Delhi,” officials said. The Guild responded, noting that “whether or not the MEA coordinated the event, it is deeply troubling that such a discriminatory exclusion was allowed to proceed without objection.”

Muttaqi, a senior Taliban leader, arrived in New Delhi on Thursday for his first official visit since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021. The trip comes amid efforts by the Taliban to re-engage with regional countries, even as the government faces international criticism over restrictions on women’s rights, education, and public participation.