Inflation, fuel hikes spark transgender protest

Community demands relief as soaring costs push vulnerable groups to the brink

KARACHI:

 

Members of the transgender community staged a protest outside the Karachi Press Club on Wednesday against rising inflation and the recent increase in petroleum prices, saying the soaring cost of living had made survival increasingly difficult.

Carrying placards and chanting slogans, protesters urged the government to reduce fuel prices and bring down the cost of essential commodities, warning that continued inaction would further worsen hardships for vulnerable segments of society.

Speaking on the occasion, Gender Interactive Alliance spokesperson Zehrish Somroo said the community had taken to the streets as inflation continued to erode livelihoods.

"We have come out today to protest against rising inflation and the increase in fuel prices because the cost of living continues to rise every day, and it has deeply affected the lives of the transgender community as well," she said.

Appealing to the authorities, she added, "You have not provided us with employment, education or equal opportunities, but at the very least, do not let inflation affect the charity and donations that many of us depend on for survival."

Transgender rights activist Bindiya Rana told The Express Tribune that the protest was not meant to create confrontation but to highlight the challenges faced by the public at large.

Participants said repeated hikes in fuel prices and the rising cost of essential goods had pushed many low-income households to the brink, forcing some to sell personal belongings, motorcycles and even children's jewellery to meet daily expenses.

They said many families now lived with the constant uncertainty of whether they would be able to afford basic necessities, urging the government to take immediate steps to control inflation.

The protesters warned that if their demands were ignored, members of the transgender community from across Sindh would converge on Karachi for a larger demonstration.