Even as thousands of protesters descended on Islamabad against the Nawaz Sharif led government, a survey by the Pew Research Centre shows that the beleaguered premier enjoys significant public support.
According to the survey, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif enjoys 64% favourable opinion, slightly lower than the 66% he enjoyed just a few weeks before the May 2013 elections. In contrast, 32% viewed him unfavourably.
Imran Khan, who has been demanding that the premier resign to pave way for a transparent investigation into reports of rigging in the 2013 elections, trails behind Nawaz in approval rating, with 53% respondents viewing him favourably while 24% holding negative views. However, the PTI chief’s ratings have slipped by 17% since elections last May.
Interestingly, in Pakistan, which has seen four military-led governments, 87% of the respondents believe that the army wields a good influence on the nation. Up from 79% near the May 2013 elections.
Ratings for General Raheel Sharif, former Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and current President Mamnoon Hussain are more positive than negative, though many decline to offer an opinion. About four-in-ten (41%) have a favorable opinion of General Sharif, the current Chief of Army Staff, while just 12% offer a negative view.
These are among the major findings from the latest survey in Pakistan by the Pew Research Center, based on face-to-face interviews conducted with 1,203 respondents from April 15 to May 7, 2014. The sample covers approximately 82% of the country’s adult population.
The mood surrounding the current political and economic situation in the country, while less than happy, it is more positive than in recent years. While only 25% of the respondents were satisfied with the way things are in Pakistan, this is more than 8% who felt that way in 2013. Those who were optimistic about the economy have more than doubled since last year, rising from 17% to 37%. And 36% expect the economy to improve further in the next 12 months.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 28th, 2014.
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Every survey is biased unless it gives PTI troll the top lead. You can get full grade in exam if you grade it by yourself but you always need someone else to tell you how better you are :)
Remove the media from this circus and both revolutionaries will suffocate
We reject every scientific survey and stick to our own personal opinions. These surveys would be rejected as conspiracy against Pakistan and its eternal losing leaders. NS lives and speaks the same languages as most of Pakistan. His entire family lives here unless forced out by a dictator. He can fool/convince more people easily by being there with his family. His entire family is Pakistani and people are related to them one way or the other.
A classic example of how media manipulates hearts and minds of general people. Survey was done before May 7 2014, before the model town murders and initiation of azadi movement yet the headline portrays as if Survey was done yesterday.
Paid survey