**Afghan Minister’s Delhi Press Meet Sparks Outrage Over Ban on Women Journalists**
*By Snehil Singh | Oct 11, 2025, 10:40 am*
A recent press conference held by Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in New Delhi has ignited widespread controversy after women journalists were barred from attending. The event, hosted at the Afghan Embassy, was reportedly restricted to male reporters only—a decision made by Taliban officials accompanying Muttaqi, despite India’s suggestion to include female journalists.
**Criticism and Calls for Protest**
The exclusion of women journalists drew sharp criticism from various quarters. Former Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram expressed his shock over the incident. Posting on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), he stated,
*“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).”*
**Priyanka Gandhi Vadra Questions Modi’s Commitment**
Lok Sabha MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also publicly questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s stance on women’s rights amid this controversy. On X, she urged the Prime Minister to clarify his position regarding the removal of female journalists from the Taliban representative’s press conference during his visit to India.
**Muttaqi Evades Questions on Women’s Rights**
When asked about the status of women in Afghanistan, Muttaqi avoided a direct response. He emphasized that every country has its own systems and values deserving respect and claimed Afghanistan’s situation has improved since the Taliban takeover in August 2021. He cited the absence of daily deaths compared to the past as evidence of progress.
However, international observers, including the United Nations, continue to criticize the Taliban for severe restrictions on women’s rights and their participation in public life.
**Remarks on Terrorism and Indo-Afghan Relations**
During the press meet, Muttaqi addressed concerns surrounding 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. Let other countries also act against such terror groups like Afghanistan did for peace.”*
Further, Muttaqi described India as a close friend of Afghanistan, expressing his desire for relations based on mutual respect and increased trade.
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The press conference controversy has sparked a wider debate on women’s inclusion in media spaces and India’s diplomatic engagement with the Taliban regime as concerns over human rights remain at the forefront.
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/india/afghan-minister-s-delhi-press-meet-sparks-outrage-bans-women-journalists/story
