Hundreds of transgender Pakistanis and allies marched in Karachi to protest steep increases in living costs they link to the Middle East conflict, demanding government relief and employment support. Organisers highlighted surging rent, fuel and food expenses and warned that small household budgets are being pushed into crisis. Government figures cited inflation rising to 10% in the three months after the conflict began, with consumer prices up 11.1% year‑on‑year in June.
'High Fuel Prices, Empty Plates': Transgender Pakistanis Protest Soaring Costs In Karachi
Protesters said Pakistan's vulnerable transgender population has been disproportionately impacted by the US-Iran war (Rizwan TABASSUM)
Hundreds of transgender Pakistanis and supporters marched through Karachi on Wednesday to protest a sharp rise in living costs, saying a price spike linked to the Middle East conflict has hit their already vulnerable community the hardest.
Protesters chanted and held placards reading 'High Fuel Prices, Empty Plates' and 'We Beg On The Streets, You Beg At The IMF', the latter referencing Pakistan's multi‑billion‑dollar bailout with the International Monetary Fund.
Although transgender people in Pakistan have won legal recognition in recent years, many still face entrenched social and family stigma that drives economic hardship. Organisers said soaring rents, fuel and food prices have disproportionately eroded small household budgets and pushed some members of the community into begging to survive.
Aradhiya Khan of the Gender Interactive Alliance, which organised the rally, urged respect and protection for the community:
The Khwaja Sira Community Should Be Respected And Honoured.
Pakistan, which has acted as a mediator between the United States and Iran, has experienced price shocks during months of regional fighting and disruptions to global energy shipments, adding pressure to an economy many analysts already view as fragile.
Organisers cited government data showing inflation rose to 10 percent in the three months after the conflict began, up from 5.5 percent in the July–February period. Official statistics also showed consumer prices in June were 11.1 percent higher than a year earlier.
Shahzadi Rai, a transgender protester and advocate, said many members of the khawaja sira community struggle to find formal employment, which magnifies the impact of rising prices.
'It is difficult for many cisgender people to survive in Pakistan. For the trans community, it is even harder,' Rai said.
Protesters called on authorities to prioritise social protections and job-creation measures so vulnerable groups can better withstand the ongoing cost‑of‑living crisis.
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