KARACHI: Responding to criticism of photograph of minors behind bars that went viral on social media recently, Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Memon said 129 Afghan female illegal immigrants were jailed in province with 178 children but insisted minors were not under arrest.

Media talk comes after picture of jailed children, smiling behind bars went viral over social media yesterday, triggering fury from activists and politicians.

Addressing press conference here, he clarified that 178 children “Staying with their mothers in jails are not under arrest”.

“Law states that if any child is under age of seven years, they may be allowed to stay with their mother in jail,” he said. “Where will children go when their father is also in jail?” Memon insisted that viral picture was not from any jail in Sindh. “Let me tell once again that picture is not from any Sindh jail,” he said. “I’m repeating that Sindh doesn’t have any jail where this picture was taken.” He maintained that children were kept as “Inmates and not as prisoners”. “No child is in jail because of government.

Whenever they are arrested, Federal Investigation Agency takes them to court.” He said courts had allowed children to stay with their mothers in jail.

“If person lives illegally in any country, government takes action and deals with them according to law,” Memon said, adding that Nigerian and Bangladeshi illegal immigrants were also imprisoned throughout country. He said out of 129 arrested females, 75 were under-trial prisoners whereas 54 were convicted for two months. “Their conviction will end in January,” Memon said. “Nobody has been sentenced to jail for more than two months.”

He added that 54 females will be deported from country after their release, along with their children, following directives of federal government.

During press conference, he showed video of women’s jail in Karachi where children can be seen reading books and playing at what looked like school located inside prison. “They study, they are provided food and medical facilities,” Memon said. “We give open access to media and they can visit these children with DIG.”

Published in The Daily National Courier, December, 31 2022

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