Afghan FM To Visit Taj Mahal After Barring Women Journalists, Sparks Outrage

This bulletin highlights the controversy surrounding Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, who is set to visit the Taj Mahal in Agra after recently barring women journalists from his press conference at the Afghan embassy in New Delhi. Opposition parties have criticised the government for ‘allowing a foreign fundamentalist to dictate terms on Indian soil and also insulting Indian women journalists’. The Ministry of External Affairs responded, clarifying that ‘the press interaction took place entirely within the Afghan embassy’s premises’ and that the Indian government had no role in the decision. The episode has ignited a debate on diplomatic protocol and women’s rights.