Eid in mourning: Pakistani families grieve loved ones killed in Iran war

ISLAMABAD: As Muslims around the world prepare to celebrate Eid, numerous families across Pakistan are instead engulfed in grief after losing their loved ones who were working in the Gulf and were killed amid the ongoing conflict involving Iran.

At least 23 workers from countries including Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh have been killed or reported missing since the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran, according to a tally compiled by Anadolu Agency.

Young breadwinner from Sindh among the dead

Among the victims was Muzaffar Ali, a 28-year-old hailing from Sindh province, who was killed when shrapnel from a missile struck his car in Dubai. Ali, who had moved to the Gulf emirate four years ago in search of better economic prospects, left behind three young children, the eldest of whom is just seven years old.

His uncle, Abdul Hakim, shared the family's devastation in a phone interview with Anadolu Agency.

"He went to Dubai four years ago in search of a better life. He was paying off the loans he had taken from relatives for the move. The last time we spoke, he told me he had nearly paid off everything he owed. Now he could finally settle down."

Hakim described the circumstances of his nephew's death, stating that shrapnel had wounded Ali's face and that he subsequently died at a hospital.

"I don't know who will feed his family. He was the breadwinner."

Families left destitute

The loss of breadwinners like Ali has left families in Pakistan facing an uncertain and bleak future. Many of the workers who perished in the conflict had travelled to the Gulf region to escape poverty and support their families back home, often taking on significant debt to finance their journeys abroad.

Ali's story is emblematic of the broader tragedy affecting Pakistani migrant workers caught in the crossfire of a conflict far beyond their control. Having spent years labouring to repay the loans he had taken from relatives to fund his move to Dubai, he was on the verge of financial stability when his life was cut short.

The deaths have cast a shadow over what is traditionally one of the most joyous occasions in the Muslim calendar, turning festivities into periods of mourning for affected families scattered across multiple provinces in Pakistan.

Workers from South Asian nations, including Pakistan, form a significant portion of the labour force in Gulf countries, and their vulnerability during times of regional conflict has once again been brought into sharp focus by the latest casualties.