Taliban Minister Invites Women Journalists To New Presser After Delhi Outrage

Facing widespread backlash for excluding women journalists from his first press conference in New Delhi, Afghanistan’s visiting Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, has now called for another media interaction on Sunday, this time with a specific invitation extended to female reporters.The move comes after a significant controversy erupted following Muttaqi’s press briefing on Friday, from which women journalists were allegedly barred.

The exclusion was roundly condemned by journalist bodies, including the Editors Guild of India and the Indian Women’s Press Corps (IWPC), who called the move “discriminatory.”In a joint statement, the organizations had asserted that the decision to bar women journalists could not be justified on any grounds, including claims of diplomatic privilege under the Vienna Convention. The incident had also triggered a political storm, with opposition leaders questioning the Indian government for allowing such a discriminatory practice on its soil.

Muttaqi is currently on a week-long visit to India, leading the first high-level Taliban delegation to the country since the group seized power in Kabul in August 2021. The decision to hold a new, inclusive press conference appears to be a direct response to the strong criticism from India’s media and political circles.