Photo: AFPOn what should be a time of celebration, families across Pakistan will instead be marking Eid in mourning, after their loved ones working in the Gulf were killed in the Iran conflict. “This systemic lack of mobility further traps migrant workers in conflict zones, limiting their movement,” the migrant workers’ coalition says, warning that employers may withhold wages, deny leave or dismiss workers without compensation during the crisis, cutting off vital remittances to families across Asia and Africa. Migrant workers, however, are far more likely to remain exposed, continuing jobs that require physical presence. The coalition also says that migrant workers are often excluded from emergency evacuation plans and denied access to shelters. “He reminded me to take the kids shopping before Eid and to the park on Eid day,” Rashid said.

Source: The Express Tribune March 19, 2026 17:59 UTC