Security guards at the Taliban embassy in New Delhi on Friday barred female journalists from attending a press conference by Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, prompting widespread outrage among Indian reporters.
According to NDTV, female journalists from several major Indian outlets, including India Today and Times Now, arrived at the Afghan embassy to cover the event but were denied entry by embassy security. The guards reportedly told them there was an order prohibiting women from entering the premises, despite the journalists having official invitations and adhering to Islamic dress codes.
Efforts by reporters to speak with embassy officials or Taliban representatives were unsuccessful, as guards kept the gates closed and refused further explanation.
The incident has sparked condemnation across Indian media circles. Prominent journalists and commentators have urged the Indian government to respond, saying that such behaviour by a foreign mission on Indian soil undermines the country’s democratic values and press freedom.
A senior journalist from CNN-News18 described the government’s silence over the incident as “deeply concerning,” while analysts in New Delhi told NDTV that the episode reflects the Taliban’s broader policy of excluding women, a stance that appears to have extended into their diplomatic practices abroad.
