India, Oct. 12 -- After facing widespread backlash for barring women journalists from a press conference, Taliban foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi on Sunday broke his silence, attributing the controversy to a "technical issue."

Addressing the media once again, this time with female reporters on the panel, Muttaqi stated that a specific list of journalists had been prepared for the first press conference, and invitations had been sent accordingly.

"With regards to the press conference, it was on short notice, and a short list of journalists was decided, and the participation list that was presented was very specific. It was more of a technical issue. Our colleagues had decided to send an invitation to a specific list of journalists, an...