Taliban Leader’s Press Conference Under Attack

During his visit to India, Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi addressed a press conference in Delhi on Sunday. However, the event sparked controversy after reports emerged that several female journalists were not allowed to attend.

The press conference, held at the Afghanistan Embassy in New Delhi, was attended exclusively by male journalists. Many female reporters took to social media to share that they were denied entry despite adhering to a strict dress code. Several prominent Indian women journalists and media organisations criticised the incident and questioned the government for hosting representatives of a regime known for its oppressive policies against women.

In response, Taliban officials clarified on Indian news channels that Foreign Minister Muttaqi regularly interacts with female journalists and that the Delhi incident was a “technical issue.”

There is no discriminatory policy against women. The number of passes was limited—some received them, some did not. It was a technical matter and should not be viewed as a policy issue,” said a Taliban official in a televised statement.

Videos and photographs coming in from the press conference suggest that women journalists were part of the presser.