Syed Faizen Nassir moved to Morden from Pakistan in 2018, where he started a business in the Pembina Valley.
Recently, he went on a trip back to Pakistan.
"I came actually here to visit my family, and it was supposed to be a short, peaceful trip to reconnect with loved ones and spend some quality time. Unfortunately, things changed disastrously after I arrived due to the sudden escalation in tension between India and Pakistan."
The flight from Canada left on time, as it was scheduled, but just before landing, the pilot made an announcement.
"Due to the escalation in tensions between India and Pakistan, all the airspace and the airports are closed. They got permission to land in a very small airport, which was not the planned destination. So, they diverted the flight to that airport, which is Multan. My family was waiting for me at the Lahore Airport. Eventually, it landed safely."
He noted that he had looked at the flight radar website and saw that there weren't any airplanes flying over the airspace of Pakistan and India, and that airports are on high alert and closed. He added that, at the time of this interview, 26 airports in India were fully closed as well.
As soon as Nassir arrived in Pakistan, the conflict intensified with reports of cross-border attacks and military activity. He said this is causing a lot of confusion, pain, and distress among travellers.
He described the conflict as a war of technology, not like a conventional war.
He reported, small drones with what he described as a blasting device are being sent into public spaces in small cities, and when they fall, they explode. Nassir said this doesn't kill a lot of people, but it can kill or injure one or two.
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"It is creating a lot of tension among the civilians, and the worst thing is these small drones. Lahore is close to the border, and they're sending the drones there. That's why the flights are so at risk, that if it collides with any commercial aircraft, there will be a huge disaster."
He said this situation is right now very, very unpredictable.
"And we don't think that it is going to be settled soon unless some of the Western countries intervene and stop them from doing this because we are equally, very, very upset and worried."
He explained some of the changes that are taking place as a result of this conflict.
"It is very serious. All the schools are closed. The local governments are practicing blackout drills. There are sirens ringing in the cities. We have to hide ourselves. What essential items do we have to keep in case of war? Because if this escalates, this might become a nuclear war. I hope it will not go to this extent because just we were watching news and we have seen that Americans, Saudis, and Middle Eastern countries are intervening between both countries to calm down the situation and to get them to the table."
He is receiving a lot of support from friends back home in Canada.
"I put the post on Facebook about the situation, and you see most of the comments are coming from my Indian friends. So, we are equally worried for my friends and innocent Indians whose families are in danger due to this political (situation.) (It's) the politicians who are creating the war hysteria. This is unfortunate on both sides of the border. Innocents are dying. This is what it is right now, and we are hoping and praying this situation should resolve very soon, and let's see what's gonna happen."
Nassir's sister, whom he hasn't seen in ten years, was also flying from the USA to Pakistan for the family reunion. Fifteen minutes before landing, her flight was also diverted to the Doha Airport in Qatar, where thousands of other stranded travellers were in transit, according to Nassir.
After three or four days of sleeping in the airport, she made the difficult decision to go back to the USA, as she was there with her small child, and they were running out of clean clothes. He had just gotten off the phone with her and said she was tired and upset at the same time, thinking she had made the right decision to return home.
"It was a family reunion, which was disastrously changed into a nightmare."
Nassir had one request.
"Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers. Many Canadians like me, who are visiting Pakistan right now, are stuck in limbo. We are doing our best to stay safe, but we need support, understanding, and help from both governments and the international community to get home safely. Let's all go for the peaceful resolution to this crisis."