Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, has labelled the exclusion of women journalists from a recent press conference in New Delhi a ‘technical issue.’ He attributed the oversight to the event being arranged quickly, with a specific guest list finalized by his team. Muttaqi stressed that his administration does not intend to deny rights to any individuals, male or female.
Following a wave of condemnation from Indian media bodies, Muttaqi’s team organized a second press conference on Sunday, which was open to all journalists, including women. This follow-up event was described as an ‘inclusive’ initiative. The initial press meet had been strongly criticized by the Editors Guild of India and the Indian Women’s Press Corps as ‘highly discriminatory.’
During discussions on education, Muttaqi shared that Afghanistan currently has about 10 million students, with nearly 3 million being girls. He indicated that while certain educational restrictions are in place and referred to as being ‘postponed until the second order,’ they do not signify a religious ban on learning. Muttaqi’s visit to India included a meeting with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to foster cooperation on trade, humanitarian aid, and security matters. The Indian government has distanced itself from the organization of the controversial initial press briefing. The Taliban’s governance continues to face global scrutiny for its policies impacting women’s freedoms.