Taliban FM Cancels Agra Visit, Reinvites Women Journalists for Fresh Presser
Afghan minister bows to backlash with inclusive presser redo.
Afghanistan's Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi has abruptly canceled his much-anticipated visit to the iconic Taj Mahal in Agra, originally slated for Sunday, October 12, 2025. The decision, confirmed by Agra's protocol department, comes just hours after a firestorm of criticism over the Taliban's exclusion of women journalists from Muttaqi's initial press conference in Delhi the previous day. Adding to the drama, Muttaqi has now scheduled a revised media interaction at 2 p.m. IST, explicitly extending invitations to female reporters in a apparent bid to defuse the outrage.
Local officials in Agra offered no official rationale for the cancellation, leaving speculation rife about whether the backlash played a role or if logistical hurdles intervened. Muttaqi was set to arrive via a brief flight from Delhi, dedicating about 90 minutes to marvel at the marble mausoleum—a symbol of enduring love—before returning to the capital. The visit was poised to be a rare soft-power moment for the Taliban regime, showcasing cultural diplomacy between the two nations. Instead, it underscores the growing friction over the Afghan government's stringent gender policies clashing with global norms.
The controversy ignited on Friday when Muttaqi's presser at the Afghan Embassy in Delhi proceeded without a single woman journalist present, prompting swift condemnation from Indian media bodies. The Editors Guild of India decried the move as "blatant gender discrimination," arguing that even under the Vienna Convention's diplomatic protections, such exclusions on Indian soil were indefensible. "It's deeply troubling that this discriminatory practice was permitted without pushback," the Guild stated, urging the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to intervene decisively.
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Echoing the sentiment, the Indian Women Press Corps (IWPC) labeled the incident an "insult to women" and called for the Indian government to lodge a formal protest with the Afghan Embassy. "We demand assurances that future briefings won't perpetuate such exclusions," the IWPC asserted, highlighting the broader implications for press freedom and gender equity in international engagements. Opposition voices amplified the uproar, with several leaders slamming the event as emblematic of the Taliban's regressive stance on women's rights—a policy that has drawn international isolation since their 2021 takeover.
Defenders from the Afghan side, including Deoband PRO Ashraf Usmani—who oversaw Saturday's program—insisted there were "no restrictions" imposed by Muttaqi's office on attendee gender. Usmani told PTI that the oversight appeared logistical rather than intentional. The MEA, distancing itself, clarified: "We had zero involvement in the Afghan FM's press interaction yesterday." This hands-off approach has fueled debates on how far India should accommodate Taliban envoys without compromising core values like equality.
As the clock ticks toward the 2 p.m. presser, eyes are on whether this gesture marks genuine course-correction or mere damage control. For India-Afghanistan relations, already strained by the Taliban's hardline rule and regional security woes, the episode serves as a stark reminder of the chasm between Kabul's worldview and New Delhi's commitment to inclusivity. With the Taj Mahal tour scrapped, the focus shifts squarely to words over wonders—will Muttaqi's revised engagement bridge the divide, or deepen the diplomatic rift?
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