Muttaqi cites ‘technical error’ for exclusion of women from presser

Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi on Sunday sought to downplay the absence of women journalists at his earlier press interaction in New Delhi, attributing it to a “technical issue” rather than deliberate exclusion. He also claimed that there was “no education ban on women" in Kabul.

Speaking at the Embassy of Afghanistan here, Muttaqi said, “The press conference was held at a short notice and invitations were sent to a specific list of journalists. It was purely a technical issue and not intentional. There were no other problems.”

The Taliban minister, who arrived in India last week for meetings with senior Indian officials, also asserted that women continued to study in large numbers in Afghanistan. “At this very moment, we have 10 million students attending schools and other educational institutions, of which 2.8 million are women and girls. There are education opportunities in religious seminaries up to the highest levels," he said.

He, however, admitted that “limitations exist in specific parts", but insisted that the restrictions “do not mean opposition to education". “We have not declared it religiously haram, but it has been postponed until further order," he added.

Muttaqi met External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday, during which India reportedly announced the upgrade of its diplomatic presence in Kabul to the embassy level and agreed to accept Afghan diplomats in New Delhi. He said India had also assured the Taliban regime of restarting stalled development projects and initiating six new health sector schemes in Afghanistan.

“The Indian side also expressed readiness to facilitate visas for health, trade and education, and agreed to create a joint committee for trade. There will also be an increase in flights between Kabul and Indian cities, including Amritsar, Delhi and Mumbai," Muttaqi said.

On his meeting with scholars at Darul Uloom Deoband on Saturday, he said, “We share historical and deep-rooted ties with Deoband, and we hope to increase academic exchanges."

Responding to questions on women’s rights, Muttaqi said under the “Islamic government", everyone’s rights were protected. “In Islam, the rights of all — men and women, locals and foreigners — are preserved," he asserted.

On tensions with Pakistan, Muttaqi maintained that Afghanistan wanted peace but would respond if its “rights on the borders” were violated. “There are certain elements in Pakistan trying to worsen the situation. Our operation last night was retaliatory, and our target was achieved. However, we have kept the doors of dialogue open," he said.

Rejecting Islamabad’s allegations of providing safe haven to Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants, Muttaqi said, “There is no TTP centre in Afghanistan. Those currently in Afghanistan are displaced persons from Pakistan’s tribal areas who crossed over during earlier military operations."

Muttaqi also defended the Taliban’s human rights record, saying that no journalist had been harmed in Afghanistan in the past four years. “We regret the losses that occurred during decades of war, but under our rule, no reporter or journalist has been targeted," he said.

The Afghan minister is expected to hold meetings with Indian business leaders and representatives of the Afghan diaspora in India before concluding his visit.

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