Mansoor Khan, a car rental employee in Dubai, experienced an ordinary evening that swiftly transformed into a night filled with fear, uncertainty, and frantic scrolling.
Mansoor, originally from Mirpur, located in the Pakistani-administered Kashmir region, has been residing in the United Arab Emirates for eight years, leading a life distinct from the valleys of his native land. However, when the news emerged that India had launched missiles and Pakistan retaliated with airstrikes, the physical distance between the two countries provided little solace.
‘i couldn’t sleep,’ he said We reside in a tranquil region, but when missiles are soaring through the sky, a sense of insecurity pervades.
His phone became a lifeline — a portal to his home, a source of worry, and a prayer for his safety.
Similar to many expats, Mansoor left for opportunities, but his heart never left home. ‘We’ve seen this kind of thing before,’ he said quietly. ‘But now, with my kids, the fear hits differently.’.
His narrative serves as a poignant reminder of the emotional tightrope that millions of expatriates navigate — torn between the lives they’ve established abroad and the loved ones they yearn to shield from a distance.