MEA Distances Itself from Taliban FM’s Press Meet in Delhi Amid Row Over Exclusion of Women Journalists

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has clarified that it was not involved in the press conference conducted by Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in New Delhi, which drew criticism after women journalists were reportedly barred from attending. “MEA had no involvement in the press interaction held yesterday by Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, in Delhi,” the ministry said in a statement. According to reports, the decision on media participation was made solely by Taliban officials accompanying the Afghan minister.

Sources cited by PTI revealed that the Indian side had suggested including women journalists among the invitees, but the Taliban delegation chose otherwise. The press event, held at the Afghanistan Embassy, was attended only by selected male reporters and officials. The incident has reignited concerns about the Taliban’s oppressive stance on women’s rights, which global bodies including the United Nations have condemned as one of the most severe gender rights crises in the world.

Congress MP Karti P. Chidambaram criticized the BJP-led government, calling it “ridiculous” to conform to the Taliban’s discriminatory norms. Muttaqi, who is on a week-long visit to India from October 9 to 16—the first high-level Afghan delegation since the Taliban takeover in 2021—avoided directly addressing questions about the treatment of women in Afghanistan. Instead, he maintained that every country has its own customs and laws deserving of respect.

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