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

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.)