Gender Exclusion Sparks Outcry at Afghan Minister's Indian Press Conference

The Afghan Foreign Minister's press conference at the Afghan Embassy in India faced backlash for excluding women journalists. Media organizations and politicians called this act discriminatory and urged the Indian government to intervene. Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi defended the situation in Afghanistan, claiming peace and improved conditions.

On Saturday, media organizations condemned the exclusion of women journalists from a press conference by Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi at the Afghan Embassy in India.

The Editors Guild of India and the Indian Women Press Corps labeled the act discriminatory, stating it cannot be justified under the Vienna Convention's diplomatic privileges. They urged the Indian government to address the issue with the Afghan authorities.

Opposition parties criticized the exclusion as insulting to women, demanding clarification from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Meanwhile, Muttaqi sidestepped questions about women's rights in Afghanistan, asserting improved conditions since the Taliban assumed power.

(With inputs from agencies.)