Taliban Minister Confronted Over Women’s Rights at Rare Delhi Press Conference
Afghanistan’s acting foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi faced pointed questions on women’s rights during a rare press conference in New Delhi on Sunday, attended by several female journalists.
Muttaqi, a senior Taliban leader under UN sanctions, insisted that women’s education was not «haram» under Islamic law but claimed it had been «postponed» pending a decision by the Taliban’s supreme leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada.
«We have not declared it religiously forbidden,» he said, adding that «necessary changes will come with time.»
Afghanistan remains the only country in the world where women and girls are barred from attending school, working, or entering public spaces such as parks, gyms, and salons. Rights groups have condemned the Taliban’s continued crackdown on female education and public participation since their return to power in 2021.
The event came a day after controversy erupted when women journalists were blocked from attending another Taliban press briefing in Delhi. Muttaqi dismissed the exclusion as a «technical issue,» claiming the media list had been finalized on short notice.
Journalists were not permitted to challenge the minister’s remarks. Outside Afghanistan, videos have repeatedly shown Taliban «vice and virtue» officials violently dispersing women protesting for education rights, with Amnesty International describing the regime’s measures as «suffocating» for Afghan women.
The Taliban’s restrictions remain a key obstacle to their quest for international recognition, with global governments maintaining sanctions and diplomatic distance until women’s rights are restored.
From news to politics, travel to sports, culture to climate — Kursiv Uzbekistan highlights the pulse of life across Central Asia and beyond. Discover the stories you want to read, and more, by clicking here.
