JAMSHORO, Pakistan — Families in Pakistan are mourning after Pakistani workers were killed in the Gulf amid retaliatory strikes by Iran following US-Israeli attacks, highlighting the human cost of the ongoing Middle East conflict.
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Muzaffar Ali, a 27-year-old from Jamshoro, Sindh, was one of two Pakistanis killed in Dubai when debris from intercepted projectiles struck his vehicle. “It is a great tragedy for a family whose sole breadwinner was lost,” said Abdul Malick, Ali’s uncle, noting the young man leaves behind three children. “We have nothing to do with this war. It is unfortunate that the poor are being used as fuel for a conflict they have no part in.”
Another victim, 48-year-old Murib Zaman from Bannu, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, had worked in the UAE as a driver for 25 years. A third Pakistani was killed in a drone attack while fishing in Iranian waters. The conflict is directly affecting Pakistan, with rising oil prices and an estimated 4,000 people, including students, returning from Iran.
Gulf remittances are vital for Pakistan and other South Asian countries, accounting for 3%–5% of Pakistan’s GDP. Over 5.5 million Pakistanis work in the Gulf, sending money home to support families, fund education, healthcare, and small businesses. Pakistan’s central bank reported $3.3 billion in remittances in February 2026, a 5.2% year-on-year increase.
Analysts warn that a prolonged conflict could disrupt Gulf economies, affecting remittances to South Asia. For now, most Pakistani workers are staying in the region, with Islamabad reporting that the return numbers are too low to constitute a major outflow.
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Families of victims are calling for greater protection of civilian labourers and an end to the conflict. “We demand that this war be brought to an end so that innocent labourers like Ali are not used as fuel for it,” said Malick, adding that they have received no financial support from either the UAE or Pakistani government.