A father of five young children was killed when debris from an Iranian missile landed on an Abu Dhabi home.
Murib Zaman Nizar, 44, from Bannu in Pakistan’s northern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region, was killed on February 28 in Abu Dhabi, the first day of Iranian missile and drone attacks on the UAE.
He worked as a driver for a family in the UAE capital and died when missile debris fell on their house. The UAE has labelled Iran’s continued assault on civilian sites and infrastructure as “brutal and unprovoked”.
“My brother wanted to do a lot for his family, always spoke of wanting to build a house for his children,” his younger brother Muhammad Khan told The National from their hometown. “He was always talking about his daughters, he wanted better for them. But he is gone before he could do any of this. He was inside the house when the missiles fell on February 28.”
Murib is among six people killed and more than 120 injured in Iranian bombardment of more than 260 ballistic missiles, eight cruise missiles and more than 1,470 drones over the past 12 days across the Emirates. Those killed include two Emiratis, two Pakistani nationals, a Nepali and a Bangladesh national.
A family man
Breaking the news to his parents and accompanying his brother’s body home has been a wrenching experience for Muhammad.
“Our family is poor, we are labourers and he was the hardest worker,” he said.
Murib has five children. The eldest is a daughter, aged 12, and the youngest a son, four. Working in the UAE for the past 14 years, he regularly sent money home to take care of his loved ones.
“My brother always wanted to go abroad to work, he was so happy to go to UAE. He would tell all of us to come to work,” Muhammad said. “He wanted security for his family.”
Muhammad is a construction worker in Dubai. The brothers did not meet often due to work but had planned to go home for Eid. Instead, Murib was buried on March 7 in his hometown.
The grief his family endures is shared by a wide circle of relatives and friends. Dr Shahzeb Khan, a general practitioner and his nephew, spoke to Murib often and describes a family man who quietly shouldered the responsibility of a large household. When his younger brother died two years ago, Murib took on the responsibility of taking care of his family as well.
“He had a big heart. He could not say no to anyone,” Dr Khan said from Bannu town. “He would even take a loan to give money to a friend who needed support. He looked after three families, it was a lot for one person but he never showed any tension. He was always smiling. I have never seen him angry with anyone.”
Murib recently sent his nephew money for Eid to buy gifts for the children.
“His dream was to take care of his children, that they should be well educated, study well and have a good life. He wanted to take his elderly parents on Umrah,” Dr Khan said, referring to the pilgrimage to Makkah. “He sent me money for Eid to buy the children clothes. He never let his children want for anything. All he would talk about was the future of his girls. He was a good man, he had too short a life.”
A community mourns
In Abu Dhabi, the community mourns a man known for his sense of responsibility.
“He was hardworking, reliable, dependable and honest, everyone trusted him,” said Haji Daraz Khan, a Pakistani social worker. “He was at work in his employer’s house when it was hit. We can’t escape death. The house was damaged and a good man who did everything to take care of everyone has died.”
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has sent condolences to the family. Murib is among two Pakistani nationals killed in the Iranian strikes in the UAE. A second Pakistani citizen was killed when debris from an interception fell on a vehicle in Dubai’s Al Barsha area.
“I am deeply saddened by the tragic death of two Pakistani nationals in UAE caused by missile debris,” Mr Sharif said in a message on X. “Our hearts go out to the bereaved family in this hour of grief.”
The Pakistan embassy and consulate in the UAE said it shared the family’s pain and offered prayers.
“I want to assure you that your safety and security is our priority,” Pakistan Ambassador Shafqat Ali said in a message.
“I want to thank the UAE government for keeping us safe and want to say that we stand with the UAE. We are here to serve you 24/7 in both our missions to make sure our Pakistani community receives all support.”
