These children are born as migrants, with a homeland that exists only in the hearts and minds of their parents, a place where floods, droughts, and insecurity have led families to consider Iran a refuge. Many grow up with a fragile sense of identity and limited access to education, often taking up begging in the streets or collecting garbage as part of their daily lives. Decisions such as marriage are entirely made by their parents.

As children, they navigate an environment shaped by their parents’ experiences, traditions, and beliefs, one that does not fully belong to them. This inherited acceptance of hardship can limit their opportunities to pursue a different or better future. They are like leaves drifting in stagnant water, largely isolated from broader society and lacking avenues to thrive.

Under Article 5 of the Iranian Citizenship Law (Article 976 of the Iranian Civil Code), Iranian citizenship may be granted to children born in Iran to non-Iranian fathers who have resided in the country for at least one year before turning 18.

Pakistani migrants, often unaware of these rights or fearing deportation, usually refrain from approaching the judicial system to claim citizenship or other legal protections, leaving many in a state of prolonged uncertainty and vulnerability.

This project was accepted for the Sheed Iran Documentary Photography Award in 2019. After 17 years of working in sports photojournalism, this is my first documentary photography experience, focusing on Pakistani migrants. 

You can watch the published video at the end.