As tensions flared between india and pakistan, mansoor khan, a pakistani expat living in dubai, spent a sleepless night glued to his phone, caught between two worlds — the life he’s built in the uae and the family he left behind in mirpur, pakistan-administered kashmir.
‘I couldn’t sleep I was looking through news websites and videos every few minutes just to see if my family was okay,’ mansoor said, his voice heavy with exhaustion. ‘we live in a peaceful area, but when missiles are flying, nothing feels safe.’.
For the past eight years, mansoor has been employed at a car rental agency in dubai. Like many expatriates, he left his homeland in search of better opportunities — but his heart remains firmly tethered to the people and memories of home.
When the news of India firing missiles and Pakistan retaliating with airstrikes reached Mansoor, he immediately entered a state of panic. The distance, which used to be a source of opportunity, now felt like an impenetrable wall of helplessness.
‘we’ve seen this kind of thing before,’ he added, ‘but now i have kids, and the fear hits differently
Mansoor’s narrative highlights the psychological impact that geopolitical conflicts have on expatriates, particularly those with family members residing in precarious areas. For many, peace is not just a political term — it’s a deeply personal matter, and it’s incredibly delicate.
