THE recent protests in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) paralysed life as the protesters set vehicles ablaze and forced entire cities to shut down. One wonders if the protesters even once asked them- selves who stood to benefit from such acts of violence. For sure, the common man was the ultimate loser in the equation; the common man in whose name the protests were held.

The general public is always the most affected entity in such protests. Daily business activities are forcibly closed, causing loss of livelihood. Schools, colleges and government offices are closed, which eventually affects the public.

When violence benefits neither the government nor the masses, what is the need for turning to violent activities? The protesters must learn respecting the security forces and the people they are supposedly trying to help.

They should instead protest peacefully to attract the attention of the government, and to earn the respect and sympathies of the people they supposedly want to help.

Muhammad Ilyas
Zhob

Published in Dawn, May 24th, 2024