Modern child labour!

The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency's (NCCIA) raid on a call centre on Sharea Faisal, Karachi for alleged cyber fraud, which led to the arrest of 273 employees, has drawn increased attention to the employment structure of call centres in general. The operation targeted an alleged international financial fraud network and resulted in the seizure of hundreds of laptops and phones, and the detention of every employee present, including more than 100 women and dozens of minors. While the scale of the operation is staggering, the large number of minors employed at the company beggars belief.

Though some people are criticising the agency's decision to proceed against the entire company, rather than just the owners, it is a logical escalation to discourage people from getting involved in companies that break the law. Ignorance is no excuse, and it is also unlikely, as most people can quickly summarise from their job descriptions and pay scales whether or not their employer is on the up and up. As with other criminal enterprises, people stay in the 'game' because they see it as easy money.

In cases such as the Karachi call center, the question of parental responsibility also arises. While the call center is certainly at fault for employing children - especially for overnight shifts - the lack of parental oversight or concern is astonishing. Under Sindh's child labor laws, the minimum age for employment in most sectors is 14, and individuals under 18 can only work under very specific circumstances. Parents should be expected to notice if their 11-year-olds are going to work.

The NCCIA has suggested it would charge the parents of any underage employees, a move that we support. Many of the protesting parents complained that their kids helped support their families. That is not a child's job, and it is not something that should be normalised. Expecting school-age children to be earners is wrong, whether in an office or begging on the streets does not matter.