Eid Mourning: Pakistani Families Grieve as Migrant Workers Killed in Iran Conflict
On what should be a joyous occasion of celebration, families across Pakistan are instead observing Eid in deep mourning. This sorrow follows the tragic deaths of their loved ones, migrant workers in the Gulf region, who were killed amid the escalating Iran conflict. According to an Anadolu tally, at least 23 workers from countries including Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh have been confirmed dead or reported missing since the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran.
Personal Tragedies Highlight Systemic Vulnerabilities
Among the victims is Muzaffar Ali, a 28-year-old from Sindh province in Pakistan. He was killed when shrapnel from a missile struck his car in Dubai, leaving behind three young children, with the eldest just seven years old. His uncle, Abdul Hakim, shared with Anadolu by phone that Ali had moved to Dubai four years ago in search of a better life. "He was paying off loans taken from relatives for the move," Hakim said. "The last time we spoke, he told me he had nearly paid off everything. Now he could finally settle down." Ali was one of three Pakistanis confirmed dead in the Middle East conflict, with a fourth Pakistani fisherman killed in Iranian waters after being hit by debris from an intercepted Israeli missile.
The casualties extend beyond Pakistan, including six from India, four from Bangladesh, and one each from China, Nepal, and the Philippines. Additionally, three Indonesians and three Thais remain missing in waters off Oman and in the Strait of Hormuz, underscoring the widespread impact on Asian migrant communities.
Migrant Workers on the Front Lines of Conflict
Migrant workers constitute nearly half of the workforce in Gulf Cooperation Council countries—Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE—and form the majority in several of these nations. They are also present in significant numbers in Jordan, Lebanon, Iran, and Israel, as noted by the Coalition on Labor Justice for Migrants in the Gulf. Many of these laborers operate under the restrictive kafala, or sponsorship, system, which ties them to employers and often limits their mobility, including the ability to leave or hold their own passports.
While Saudi Arabia has implemented reforms under its Vision 2030 program, similar systems persist elsewhere, trapping workers in conflict zones. The coalition warns that employers may withhold wages, deny leave, or dismiss workers without compensation during crises, severing vital remittances to families across Asia and Africa. Since the war began, Gulf countries have introduced remote work and school closures, but migrant workers, who often require physical presence for their jobs, remain disproportionately exposed and excluded from emergency evacuation plans and shelters.
Eid Without Celebration in Pakistani Communities
In Ganz, a small coastal village in Pakistan's southwestern Gwadar region, the atmosphere is somber as the family of 17-year-old Mohammad Tayyab grapples with his death. Tayyab, the youngest of four brothers, had left school after his father's death to support his family by smuggling cheaper Iranian petrol into Pakistan. On March 7, debris from an intercepted projectile struck his boat in the Arabian Sea as he returned home. His maternal uncle, Asghar Hussain, recounted, "I was about to break the fast when I received news that Tayyab's boat was hit. The news fell like a bombshell." Since the conflict started, Pakistan has closed its border with Iran, devastating livelihoods for thousands of fishermen and informal traders along Balochistan's coast.
Similarly, in Pakistan's northwestern Bannu district, 70-year-old Nadir Ali mourns his son, Murib Zaman, who died when debris from an intercepted missile hit his building in Abu Dhabi. Zaman, 48, had worked as a driver in the UAE for nearly eight years and was a father of five. He had recently been discussing Eid preparations with his family, emphasizing not to worry about money for clothes and shoes for his children. "The kids were his life," Nadir Ali said, fighting back tears. "I don't know what Eid would be without him." Mehran Rashid, Zaman's would-be son-in-law, added that the children now refuse to celebrate, opting instead to look at pictures of their father multiple times a day.
As Eid approaches, these stories of loss highlight the harsh realities faced by migrant workers and their families, turning a time of festivity into one of profound grief and reflection on the vulnerabilities of labor abroad.
