KARACHI: `Inflation has risen to intolerable levels now; if we don`t take to the streets now, what other option do we have?` asked an elderly lady during a recent political show and protest against spiralling prices of everyday items.

A resident of Paposh Nagar, she stood on the road for three hours, wiping sweat from her face as the humidity increased. `I have arthritis and my knees hurt.

I can`t sit down for long, she said every time someone offered her a chair. `My son was reluctant to bring me here as the price of petrol had gone up, but I insisted. I even managed to convince the rickshaw driver to attend the protest,` she said, keeping a watchful eye on her young grandchildren.

She was one of the hundreds of elderly ladies `political late bloomers` who spent their entire lives taking care of their f amilies -who passionately chanted slogansagainstinnadon.

Many women Dawn spoke to shared stories of how inflation and rising fuel prices were hitting their families hard; from cutting down on meat and fruits to drastically slashing expenses and using less electricity, each had a story to share about sons, daughters, and grandsons losing jobs or suffering pay cuts in recent times.

The most heart-wrenching stories were told by those who are having to compromise on medical treatment, drugs and in some cases cutting down on the use of adult diapersfor their bed-ridden parents or themselves.

`There is hardly any energy left at our age. This inflation is robbing us of dignity,` said Mrs M, a woman in her 60s, accompanied by her frail husband.

`We don`t have children.

Whatever little savings we have are in National Savings.

With this rising inflation, it is impossible to run the house and manage our medical bills,` the former school teacher said.

`The way things are at thispoint, the destruction of the country is imminent and we cannot and must not be silent witnesses of this downward spiral,` said Dr S*, a senior specialist at a private hospital.

`More and more [apolitical] people now want to join protests,` says Rasha Tarek, a Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf supporter.

`Withrisingprices,it`simpossible for most people. We felt Khan was doing a good job.

People have to come out of their drawing rooms and express themselves, not just complain.

Unless they do that, there won`t be any change.