The Indian government has clarified its stance amidst a growing controversy surrounding the exclusion of female journalists from a press conference by Afghanistan’s Taliban Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, in New Delhi. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a statement affirming that India “had no role or involvement” in the press interaction held on Friday. The conference, which followed diplomatic engagements between Muttaqi and India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar at the Afghan Embassy, was widely criticized for its lack of gender diversity among attendees. This event marked Muttaqi’s first visit to India as a Taliban representative since the group’s takeover of Afghanistan in 2021. The high-level talks covered significant bilateral issues including economic cooperation, humanitarian assistance, and security matters. However, the focus quickly shifted to the press briefing, where the absence of women reporters highlighted the Taliban’s well-documented gender bias. It is understood that the Taliban delegation made the final decision on media attendees, reportedly ignoring suggestions for a more inclusive media pool. When queried about the situation for women in Afghanistan, Muttaqi is reported to have emphasized national sovereignty in customs and laws and claimed improvements in security. The incident underscores international concern regarding the severe limitations imposed by the Taliban on women and girls, particularly in education and employment, since their return to power in August 2021, a situation that has drawn strong international condemnation.
