Screenwriter-lyricist Javed Akhtar condemned the reception accorded to Afghan Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi during his visit to New Delhi, saying he “hangs his head in shame.”
Afghan Taliban Foreign Minister Muttaqi is on a six-day trip to India, the first visit by a Taliban leader since the group took control of Afghanistan in 2021.
“I hang my head in shame when I see the kind of respect and reception given to the representative of the world’s worst terrorist group, the Taliban, by those who preach against all kinds of terrorism,” Akhtar wrote on X on Monday.
I hang my head in shame when I see the kind of respect and reception has been given to the representative of the world’s worst terrorists group Taliban by those who beat the pulpit against all kind of terrorists . Shame on Deoband too for giving such a reverent welcome to their “…
— Javed Akhtar (@Javedakhtarjadu) October 13, 2025
He also criticized the Darul Uloom Deoband in Uttar Pradesh’s Saharanpur, one of South Asia’s most influential Islamic seminaries, for offering Muttaqi, who arrived in Delhi on Thursday, a “reverent welcome.”
View this post on Instagram
“Shame on Deoband too for giving such a reverent welcome to their ‘Islamic Hero,’ one of those responsible for completely banning girls’ education. My Indian brothers and sisters!!! What is happening to us?” Akhtar added.
Muttaqi’s visit followed the UN Security Council’s Taliban Sanctions Committee granting an exemption to his travel ban. He was listed by the UN Security Council on January 25, 2001, and had been subject to a travel ban, asset freeze, and arms embargo. India has not recognized the Taliban administration and has advocated for a genuinely inclusive government in Kabul.
Javed Akhtar believes Urdu is an Indian language instead of Pakistani
Last week, controversy erupted over the absence of women journalists at Muttaqi’s media interaction in Delhi. Several opposition leaders called the absence “unacceptable” and “an insult to women,” and multiple press organizations criticized the Afghan foreign minister. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said it was not involved in organizing the press interaction.
As the backlash grew, Muttaqi held another press conference on Sunday and invited several women journalists, saying there had been no intention to exclude them. “The press conference was organized on short notice. A small list of journalists was finalized. It was more of a technical issue,” he said. “Our colleagues had decided to send invitations to specific journalists, and there was no other intention.” He added that no one’s rights should be violated, whether they are men or women.
India welcomed Pakistani artists, but Pakistan did not return the favor: Javed Akhtar
