ISLAMABAD: An overwhelming majority of Pakistanis believe that separation from India was justified in 1947, revealed a recently released Gilani Poll conducted by Gallup Pakistan.
In a survey, a nationally representative sample of men and women from across the country were asked the following question:
Suppose you were an adult voter in 1947, would you have voted in favour or against the establishment of Pakistan?
The results of the poll revealed that 92% Pakistanis believed the separation from India was justified and they would have voted for Pakistan, while only 8% said they would have voted against it, according to the results of the Gilani Research Foundation survey carried out by Gallup Pakistan on Monday.
The poll reflects a minor but noticeable change of views on the issue, as the figure has gone up from 3% to 8% only in five years.
Responding to a similar survey in 2006, 97% of Pakistanis said they would have voted for Pakistan and only 3% said that they would have voted against Pakistan.
The study was released by the Gilani foundation and carried out by Gallup Pakistan, the Pakistani affiliate of Gallup International.
The recent survey was carried out among a sample of 2694 men and women in rural and urban areas of all four provinces of the country, during August 14 - 20, 2011.
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Actually, what has been happening to PK in the last couple of years has basically brought us together, it has also shown us who are our enemies and who are our friends, which i think is good for us. Yes, more and more Pakistanis will think that it was really a blessing is disguise to be out of the Hindu clutches, i am sure if we get the right leadership and environment, we are much more productive then anyone else in the region. Long live Pakistan !!!
ask any exdelhi wala in lahore a jammu wala in sialkot jalhandri in faisalabad or a bihari in karachi he will say it is justified i am a rahimyarkhan wala
an ordinary hindu can buy land in islamabad but a famous muslim was denied house in mumbai if you look at pakistani muslim vis a vis indian muslim our women are more educated the literacy rate is higher child marriage is less common and families are smaller
@Cynical: pakistan has 24% poverty while india has 77% poverty while in prepartition india the muslim areas were the poorest i say good ridance now i can have beef stakes in any park i want
@Amlendu: middle of a street is different from next to a mosque
@Zaid Hamid: that is the truth why are there kashmiris in sialkot and and biharis in karachi and jalhandaris in fasalabad
@Excalibur: seperate sindh not really sindhis were the first to join pakistan and in my native place in rahimyarkhan many people trace there roots to RAJHISTAN they were forcebely OUSTED
@Abdul Rehman Gilani:
From your comment it looks like slaughtering a pig in front of mosque is a daily occurane in Pakistan and it is applauded by the muslim worshipers. I am sorry if I offended someone but just wanted to show that everyone has religious sensitivity and will get ofended by certain acts. In India if you can not slaughter a cow in middle of a street then one can not slaughter a pig in front of a mosque either. But in Pakistan a Muslim can slaughter a cow in middle of a temple but if the hindu even thinks of retaliating, he will be tried and executed under the blasphemy law. Is liye pahle apane gireban mein jhankein aur tab dusaron per tohamt lagaie.
@VINOD:
Dear, slaughter a cow in the middle of the street anywhere in india , and a fate worse than Pakistan's blasphemy law awaits you. In mumbai, there are some places which even rich Muslims are not allowed to buy. Even in today, the way minorities are brutally persecuted in Bihar etc. is commonplace.
And how come Advani isnt behind bars? What about the 2007 burning of Samjhota Express? The judgement of the Babri Mosque Case still shows how much of a facade "secularism" is in india.
@Abdul Rehman Gilani: You are far away from truth. In India Hindu,Muslim, Sikh,Christians and many other religious people live in slums and not only Muslims. Similarly in the poshest colonies you will find the same. Sir do you think that entire Bollywood lives in slums. Hindu extremists are not permitted to teach any one any thing and when they try the law is there to teach them a lesson. You know even after 10 years Gujarat Chief minister and his crony are being chased by law. Those who demolished Babri masjid are facing charges and lost elections. We haven't even permitted Advani ji to get out of the trap. Can you tell me what has happened to those who demolish temples and churches. Sir we have no Blasphemy law to harass the minorities. So get to see yourself and do not say what has been pumped in your brain.
The learned Indian muslims still do not like division .
@Zaid Hamid: For you there is a very beautiful post dealing with this: http://pioussluts.wordpress.com/2011/08/29/zaid-hamid-saint-or-satan/
i think we should be more realistic.the establishment of pak state do not serve its purpose.we have some foundation problems.we all know that in pakistan we taught wrong history in schools.if we first educate our youth about right history and then made poll then u will see the result!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It was the false pride, fear and prejudice of U.P Muslims which created Pakistan. Muslim league was created by the Britishers through their agent Sir Sultan Agha Khan. The biggest looser were Pashtuns and Afghans who depend for existence on India as Indian doors closed for them forever. The biggest beneficiary were Hindus who got rid of Muslims influence and also Muslims left in India Having their all ties cut to west of India and for the first time accepting themselves as true Indians.
Hindu and Muslim have been made pole apart deliberatly particularly by those whn devided the India due to the fear that they may loose their identity due to influence of Hindu majority , Yes , their doubt was correct and they should know that the change is the law of nature ,They are changing even after the division . They are adopting the modern life style and doing a number of things which is prohibited in Islam , They have to be secular and therefore now, Islamic Pakistan has no future ,
@ET: I have read more damaging comments here then the one I have submitted. Why are you printing it partially. Please reprint the following in full form:
@Dilu: Indians are educated people. Indians do not live in a 'nut' shell or a cave. We are curiuos of what is happening around the world because we trade globally.
The reason I read ET is to inform my eight Paki workers what is happening there. For my personnel reason, I read to see the minute by minute downfall of Pakistan
Indian losers are sooo obsessed with Pakistan, while all the time proclaiming they don't care about Pakistan, lol. It's quite funny and pathetic to watch.
@Zaid Hamid: Thanks for informing that the sourse of your information is dreams. Keep on dreaming......
"Majority Pakistanis think separation from India was justified" Majority of Indians agree!
Indians not happy with this slap on their face. Everyday on ET we have Indians whining about why Islam came into subcontinent and why Pakistan exists.
Can't say about Pakistan, but surely partition was good for India. Indians should be grateful to Jinnah and Muslim League for as long as sun rises in the east.
If a similar pole is carried out in India, results will be similar. In fact the partition has been a great loss to the Muslims of India.The creation of Pakistan has weakened the Muslims of this subcontinent in every possible way. Population of Muslims in India is 162 million, Pakistan 186 million and Bangladesh 156 million. Though, in the subcontinent, the Hindu population has remained consolidated the creation of Pakistan has divided this vast population of 505 million into three. With this major population together today they would have exercised major influences in the polity and social life of this subcontinent. Today, if together, the rule in United Punjab, United Bengal, UP, Andhra Pradesh, Hydrabad, Mysore, Sindh, and NWFP, could have been of Muslim majority.
What a rubbish poll. Truth is, the average Pakistani is better off than the average Indian Muslim. A Muslim living in Pakistan has more political representation. There are more ipportunities for Muslims in Pakistan than a Muslim in India - due to the simple reaosn that Pakistan is a Muslim country. But thats not the only reason - culture is also a major driving factor.
Today, Urdu is a dying language in India - a fact that is well acknowledged by some Indian linguists. on the other hand, in Pakistan, Urdu has thrived. We have much better and higher standard Urdu newspapers, media, culture and have produced more famous Urdu musicians and poets in the past few decades comparably than India. If we were with India, it would have been more likely that all of us would have been speaking and writing Hindi rather than Urdu.
We also have more Muslim influence in our daily lives than an average Indian Muslims, who have assimilated into Hindu population and have lost much of their religious values.
The impact of Pakistan music especially the sufi music is very strong in India. I regard this with great delight as a great cross-cultural enrichment. Pakistan is no doubt the homeland of brilliant musicians. I am a devoted fan of late Sri Nusrat Ali khan, late Sri Amanat Ali Khan, late Madam Noor Jahan, Rahat, Shafqat, Ghulam Ali & the Pakistan Coke studio. Hello to @goggi & every music lover across the sarhad! Bombaywali
@Javed
We do not need any source of information. We know everything. Every night when we sleep we get these information. Last night only we captured Red Fort.
@goggi: Thank you Sir.Madam. Life of minorities in Pakistan is a hell.
@Zaid Hamid: What is the source of your information. Perhaps the name you are using says it all.
These type of polls do not depict the true picture regarding any issue.I think majority of Pakistanis love their country very much, despite present difficulties.It is their firm belief that they will come out this successfully(Inshallah).Partition of British India was destined, carried out through political process and constitutional means with full participation of the Muslims of undivided British India through vote.We should not try to waste our time and engage in rhetorics which will lead us to nowhere. Rather we should try to live as good neighbors after resolving outstanding issues based historic truths and ground realities. The world has moved far ahead and we both the countries should also reap economic benefits.
Allah gifted us pakistan and it is and will always be a blessing.....the bells are ringing yes!! surveys like this are conducted to checkout something and i guess our politicians are still waiting for the day.....!!!
Quaid is inapiration of many many pakistanis if not of Mr.Hakim zardari.....Pakistan and india should never ever unite.
@Jhon you said , "We will not waste our time with these kind of stupid polls..".
You (indians) will only waste time in reading Pakistani news papares and posting on any comments/news like this. It is better to get rid of obsession with Pakistan and do some time fruitful.
The Partition is 64 yrs old both India and Pakistan are sovereign countries since then such surveys and debates are a waste of time would be much better if we spend the time and energy trying to solve the problems in our countries.
As a Pakistani, I can relate to Arundhati Roy's painful reflection. "Partition was a parting kick by the British."
Nobody denies the historical tensions between Muslims and Hindus, but it didn't justify the carving out of a separate state (which didn't even have geographical contiguity) and the massacre of 1 million people. It is in the interests of separatists to propagate the incompatibility of Hindus and Muslims - just like the Israelis and Palestinians say that Jews and Muslims cannot exist together. This is exactly why you will never find - in the Israeli/Zionist narrative - the mention of Jews living alongside Muslims in pre-Israel Palestine.
If bouts of sectarian and ethnic tensions is a justification for secessation, why don't Pakistanis support a separate Balochistan? A seperate Pashtun homeland? A separate Sindh? Do you see how carving out different states everytime the going gets rough doesn't work?
Looking back in hindsight, was it really worth it considering the shared history, culture(s), language(s), and narrative?
@Zaid Hamid: Which history book did you read one written by your namesake?
Pakistan is a gift from QuaidAzam and I for sure would not allow anyone of you to disrespect my homeland. If you don't like it then you are welcome to leave.
@Saes: Do you have something like sachar report to see the plight of pakistani muslims remember 30000 died and we want to know how their families are living in tday's difficult world?
Sajida and Dehli Belly,
I would invite you to go to the villages of Pakistan. Most Muslims of Pakistani villages are dark skinned too. But, a good try to mix Muslims of India and Dalits.
Most Muslims of India are in much better social and financial shape than Dalits or Harijans in India. I know this for sure, I have been to India many many times.
Muslims in India have troubles of their own, but the dalits / harijans are the real oppressed people of India.
Muslims and upper caste hindus, both, mistreat and abuse the low caste hindus or the scheduled castes.
Creation of Pakistan was a tragedy of the highest order.
Recently I met a Somali, he liked Somalia more than Canada. Love of mother land is not negotiable. It was a stupid survey.
@Sajida: Behan sahiba, one should always keep in consideration that tradtions, language, culture are above any dogmatic religious affiliation.
This would be a worthwhile survey in the cross-section population of Pakistan and India to ascertain, how many songs and melodies, either pakistani or indian, are stored in the memory of wo(men)!!! On the other hand how many quranic sure are stored? According to my opinion, Music or our sangeet is the uppermost and most practiced religion of this subcontinent and this makes us inseperable. In order to support my point of view, I attach a link which might clear some prejudices. India Bollywood's Plagiarism of Pakistani Music - Part 1
@M.A.S: I am surprised by how much hatred you can held against a community and how much lie you can spread just to spread your hate. Let me give you some history lesson here. Immediately after the first moghul conquest in India and during establishment of first mughal empire, the muslim rulers immediately saw the advantage of the caste division in India. They saw an important factor which they can exploit and keep Hindu rulers at bay or constant war with their own subjects. So hence started mass conversion of Dalits to Islam with the pretest and false hope that "once you turn muslim, we will take care of you and no hindu brahmin will ever ill treat you again, you will have respect in society and you will not be classified by cast". For the long suppressed Dalits this was like turkey in thanksgiving. What they have to loose to turn to Islam, as if they had any religion or society which protected them. Those mostly dark skinned dallits were the new force of msulims whom the moghal empire used to expand the islamic population with a hope that it will soon replace the local hindu inhabitants. HERE LIES THE REASON FOR CHRONIC HATRED OF HINDUS TOWARDS MUSLIMS. They tried to systematically eradicate the culture. Ruler like Akbar was the first of the kind who stoped the force conversion and inequality meted to hindus by the muslim leaders. After partition the original fair skinned turk muslim and their offspirngs were a major population who formed population of Pakistan and the dark skinned dalit turned muslims were despised and hated by them and till this date called mohajirs. Mohajoirs are the Indian muslims and most of the Idnian muslims were dalit turned muslims. Original muslims never accepted them as their own, they just wanted them as a force multipliers against the hindus. And now those dalits turned muslims who never had any right in society before britishers, or mughals are the ones who remain under priviliged till date . And Pakistan is smartly exploiting this half baked fact to drive point that muslims are ill treated in India. Frankly disgusting and distasteful!
India is having trouble managing what it has. If it was expanded by population of Pakistan and Bangladesh the situation would be worse for Indians! They have good reason to be thankful of the separation. The plight of Indian Muslims is a well documented fact. I remember reading an article that noted Indian Muslims were worse off than even Dalits. The basic source for making that judgement were the NSSO reports. You must consider fact that that is not surprising as the Indian Muslims left behind are mostly former Dalits. The non-Dalit Muslims have done precious little to help their own.
Pakistan have all the time progressed, not regressed. yes they became stagnant, but never regressed. Pakistan Govt was unable to buy a simple pencil for there offices in 1947. Now we have all the resources in the world. We only need good management, thats all.
I once remember my cousin coming back from youth initiative for peace in singapore and started speaking about false history of partition. Her grandmother, who lost her entire family except her father almost tried to kill her for the statements.
My dear friends, ask the people who came across the border and lost their loved ones, you will get the answer.Hindus are very cocky people, they will be pious in front of you, but will stab your back when you turn around.
This poll makes no sense. What Pakistani wouldn't want to be free and have hisown country. I am interested to know who this 8% was that is against the nation and where they live. Maybe the poll should ask Pakistanis how many wanted freedom from Britain in 1947 and maybe this delusional 8% will become 15 % of anti state people.
Of course we all are glad to live in two countries. That's natural, and that's even why Partition happened. Don't even see the utility of such survey to be honest.
@malik: Your analysis is one hundred percent correct but this includes Indian Muslims also, as many of them acknowledge openly that they feel secured in India and thank 'Allah' for not being born in Pakistan.
This shows the difference between indians and pakistanis...ever heard indians conducting these polls? As far as indians are concerned, what happened is happened... we are moving forward and away... we don't care what pakistanis want and don't want.. we indians have a job and that is to create a better india for all indians irrespective religion, language and caste.. We will not waste our time with these kind of stupid polls..
we certainly have more opportunities in a separate state!!!so ya it was a gud thing
I am grateful to my neighbors for thinking that separation was a good thing. Speaking for myself, a day does not go by when I don't thank the Good Lord for separating Pakistan from India.
Creation of Pakistan was not a blunder, not for India and Hinduism. It's Pakistanis to decide weather it turned into blunder after 60 years.
Extremist ideology always harm the religion where it grows.
If you will ask me who helped the Hindu culture and Hinduism most in last 1000 years?
I would say Mohammed Ali Jinnah. After Adi Shankracharya, i believe he is the person who proved as a blessing for Sanatan Dharma.
Many in India have not a learn a lesson from the creation of Pakistan on the basis of religion and still dream for Akhand Bharat on the basis of Hinduism's history. Akhand Bharat will become a boon for Islam and blunder for Hinduism just like Pakistan has become a boon for Hinduism and blunder for Islam in Subcontinent. I hope RSS will understand that one day.
As 'Hindu dominated' India is growing, i see a very bright future of Hinduism in India and it's affect on western nations.
Pakistan Paindabad!
the same poll in INDIA....the result would be 99.99 per cent saying YESSSS GOOD RIDDANCE !!!
Thank God we agree on something. I thought even this would also end up being controversial and 50% would vote against it.
strongly agreed to usman Ahmad
The trolls have been released.
SAFMA is responsible for the increase from 3% to 8%...
Generally in these studies the variance of error is +/- 5%, so statistically there is hardly any change. I am sure if taken place in India, many Indians would have loved to be a British colony than being herded by the politico-corporate-elitist mafia ruling India for the past 60 yrs..
Absolutely scrappy. This topic has no relevance at all today. All the leaders and the pubilc who were involved during the partition are no more. The people who polled the survey have no idea of what India is like or what is the status of INdian muslim now. They also have no idea of what was the status of muslims/hindus in the undivided India then
Perhaps this gilani guy had nothing worthwhile to do..so he picked up a lame topic for survey.....
Please keep Indian Muslims with you. We are full already... No more being 'accommodative' they are Indians.. that's how they should be =)
Sumeet's statement is very powerful and logical. What is important is what the INDIAN muslims think.
a BS poll.what would have they said?they are pakistani and they will justify it.i want such a poll amongst indian muslim.i just want to know what would be their view.as far as i know indian muslim will also vote overwhelming against pak.
The article should have listed provincial and regional responses as well.
I think, today, if a similar poll is conducted, in India, probably a similar result is to be expected.
Even though many Indians are condescending, when they talk to Pakistanis and try the bravado that we have progressed, while you have regressed and make (at least try to) Pakistanis feel bad, we know inside the separation of Pakistan was a good thing.
The poll reflects a minor but noticeable change of views on the issue, as the figure has gone up from 3% to 8% only in five years.[The recent survey was carried out among a sample of 2694 men and women in rural and urban areas of all four provinces of the country,] Bells are ringing!!