Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi explained on Sunday that the absence of female journalists at his recent press conference was due to a “technical issue,” following widespread controversy over the incident being seen as an “insult to women.”
“Regarding the press conference, it was organised on short notice. (There was) a short list of journalists who were invited. It was more of a technical issue, but there was no other problem. Our colleagues had decided to send the invitation to a specific list of journalists. There were no other intentions other than that,” the visiting Afghan minister said, as he held his second press conference two days after the first presser at the Afghanistan Embassy triggered the row.
On Friday, Muttaqi’s press conference sparked significant controversy after no female journalists were present, with the Opposition condemning it as “unacceptable” and “an insult to women.”
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The event took place just hours after Muttaqi held extensive talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi sharply criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the absence of female journalists, accusing him of allowing the “exclusion” of women reporters from a public forum and sending a message to every woman in India that he is “too weak to stand up for them.”
Former Union Minister P Chidambaram expressed his shock on X, saying, “I am shocked that women journalists were excluded from the press conference addressed by Mr Amir Khan Muttaqi of Afghanistan.” He added, “In my personal view, the male journalists should have walked out when they realized their women colleagues were excluded (or not invited).”
Amid the criticism, sources from the Ministry of External Affairs clarified that the ministry had no role in organizing the press conference. They explained that the invitations were sent by Afghanistan’s Consul General in Mumbai to select journalists based in Delhi for the Afghan minister’s visit. The ministry also emphasized that the Afghan Embassy premises fall outside the jurisdiction of the Indian government.
Speaking further at the press conference, Muttaqi said, “There is no doubt that Afghanistan has relations with Ulema Madaris and with Deoband perhaps greater than others. With regards to education, at present we have 10 million students attending schools and other educational institutes, of which 2.8 million are women and girls. In religious seminaries, this educational opportunity is available all the way to the graduation level. There are certain limitations in specific parts, but that does not mean that we oppose education. We have not declared it religiously ‘haram’, but it has been postponed until the second order…”
On the tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi said, “… The people of Pakistan, in the majority, are peace-loving and want good relations with Afghanistan. We have no issues with the Pakistani civilians. There are a few elements in Pakistan that are creating tensions. Afghanistan will safeguard its borders and its national interest, and that is why it immediately retaliated to the escalation from Pakistan. We achieved our military objectives last night, and our friends, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, have expressed that this conflict should come to an end, so we have paused it from our side for the time being. The situation is now under control.”
“We only want good relations and peace… When someone tries to interfere in our internal matters, all civilians, government heads, ulemas, and all religious leaders come together to fight in the interest of the country… Afghanistan has been under conflict for 40 years… Afghanistan is finally free and is working for peace… If Pakistan doesn’t want good relations and peace, then Afghanistan has other options as well,” he added.
The Taliban regime in Kabul has come under heavy criticism from multiple countries and international organizations, including the United Nations, for imposing severe restrictions on the rights of women in Afghanistan.
