**Afghan Minister’s Delhi Press Meet Sparks Outrage for ‘Banning’ 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 restricted exclusively to male reporters—a decision reportedly enforced by Taliban officials accompanying Muttaqi, despite India’s suggestion to include female journalists.
### Exclusion of Women Journalists Draws Sharp Criticism
The exclusion of women from the press meet has drawn strong condemnation from various quarters. Former Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram expressed his dismay on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), 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).”
### Priyanka Gandhi Vadra Questions Modi’s Stance on Women’s Rights
Lok Sabha MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also weighed in on the incident, questioning Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s commitment to women’s rights. Writing on X, she urged, “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.”
### Muttaqi Avoids Women’s Rights Questions, Claims Improvement in Afghanistan
When asked about the status of women in Afghanistan, Muttaqi sidestepped the question, emphasizing that every country has its own systems and values which should be respected. He asserted that Afghanistan’s situation had “improved” since the Taliban takeover in August 2021, highlighting that there were no daily deaths now compared to the past.
This statement stands in contrast to ongoing global criticism—including from the United Nations—regarding the Taliban’s restrictions on women’s rights and their limited participation in public life.
### Remarks on Terror Groups and India-Afghanistan Relations
During the press conference, Muttaqi addressed concerns about terror groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed. He stated, “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 similar actions against terror groups, as Afghanistan claims to have done for peace.
Furthermore, Muttaqi described India as a “close friend” of Afghanistan, expressing the desire to build relations based on mutual respect and trade cooperation.
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The exclusion of women journalists from this high-profile press conference has sparked a larger debate on gender rights and the diplomatic handling of Taliban representatives during their visits abroad.
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/india/afghan-minister-s-delhi-press-meet-sparks-outrage-bans-women-journalists/story