Awakening the sleeping giant
Per survey results, sleeping educated middle class giant has emphatically decided to come out of their living rooms.
The writer is the founding CEO of ROZEE.PK, a venture capital-backed leading online recruiting platform
“I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve.”
It takes a lot to get the educated middle class out on the streets. Historically, plagued with the belief that its vote doesn’t count, political passion has been found in ample quantities during living room debates but seldom put to action. A recent survey conducted by ROZEE.PK of internet-enabled working professionals found that in 2008, only 35 per cent bothered to vote, considerably lower than the 44 per cent overall turnout.
Of the 272 National Assembly seats, a chunky 30 per cent lie in urbanised areas of the country. The level of internet penetration is disproportionately high in these areas, around 30 per cent to be precise. Clearly, when you do the math, the educated internet-enabled middle class does matter and can potentially change destinies of candidates.
The online survey measured opinions of over 10,000 educated professionals from across the country, sampling from ROZEE.PK’s 16 million annual unique Pakistani visitors. The majority of respondents hailed from large urban population centres including Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Peshawar and Faisalabad. Their average age was 27 years. Here are some of the findings.
According to the survey results, the sleeping educated middle class has emphatically decided to come out of their living rooms. Over 95 per cent are registered to vote and 93 per cent of them indicated that they plan on casting their vote on May 11. This is quite a change: only 35 per cent of them participated in the 2008 elections.
Over 70 per cent of respondents felt that things will improve after the elections. Only six per cent thought that the situation will deteriorate. The remaining 24 per cent were unsure. The vast majority thought that the elections will be held on time and 42 per cent felt they would be fair. Only 12 per cent thought the elections will not be held fairly.
Whereas respondents who voted in 2008 favoured the PML-N with a 46 per cent majority, followed by the PPP with 19 per cent, the winds have clearly changed. The same respondents now plan on voting for the PTI by a whopping 70 per cent majority, followed by the PML-N at 19 per cent. The PPP has dropped to a mere two per cent. When asked who they would like to see as the next prime minister of Pakistan, 71 per cent of respondents selected Imran Khan.
A June 2011 poll revealed that 61 per cent of this same demographic favoured Imran Khan as the country’s next leader but only 17 per cent of them felt he had a realistic shot at winning. Comparatively, of the 71 per cent who favour Imran Khan now, 63 per cent feel he will actually win a majority of seats. This marks a dramatic rise in confidence amongst Imran Khan’s supporters.
Of all the major parties, the PPP enjoys the largest support from rural voters. Respondents report that their median household size is five members and an overwhelming 75 per cent of them claim that their entire household will be voting for the same candidate. It would appear that living room conversations have resulted in consensus amongst family members.
The educated middle class will vote along party lines. Some 74 per cent of respondents reveal that their decision on who to vote for will primarily be influenced by the party of the candidate rather than the candidate’s credentials.
Frustration with high levels of corruption, terrorism, power shortages and joblessness has awakened the sleeping giant. When asked what the top priority should be of the new government, 23 per cent suggest that ending corruption is at the front of the queue. Eradicating terrorism, ending power cuts and increasing employment all tie for second place with 19 per cent.
The most pressing concerns cited above have deteriorated people’s quality of life to unbearable levels, which has prompted an unprecedented 93 per cent projected turnout amongst educated, urban middle class voters on May 11. The sleeping educated urban middle class giant has awakened, filled with hope and a strong resolve. It’s about time.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 9th, 2013.
—Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto after Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour, 1941
It takes a lot to get the educated middle class out on the streets. Historically, plagued with the belief that its vote doesn’t count, political passion has been found in ample quantities during living room debates but seldom put to action. A recent survey conducted by ROZEE.PK of internet-enabled working professionals found that in 2008, only 35 per cent bothered to vote, considerably lower than the 44 per cent overall turnout.
Of the 272 National Assembly seats, a chunky 30 per cent lie in urbanised areas of the country. The level of internet penetration is disproportionately high in these areas, around 30 per cent to be precise. Clearly, when you do the math, the educated internet-enabled middle class does matter and can potentially change destinies of candidates.
The online survey measured opinions of over 10,000 educated professionals from across the country, sampling from ROZEE.PK’s 16 million annual unique Pakistani visitors. The majority of respondents hailed from large urban population centres including Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Peshawar and Faisalabad. Their average age was 27 years. Here are some of the findings.
According to the survey results, the sleeping educated middle class has emphatically decided to come out of their living rooms. Over 95 per cent are registered to vote and 93 per cent of them indicated that they plan on casting their vote on May 11. This is quite a change: only 35 per cent of them participated in the 2008 elections.
Over 70 per cent of respondents felt that things will improve after the elections. Only six per cent thought that the situation will deteriorate. The remaining 24 per cent were unsure. The vast majority thought that the elections will be held on time and 42 per cent felt they would be fair. Only 12 per cent thought the elections will not be held fairly.
Whereas respondents who voted in 2008 favoured the PML-N with a 46 per cent majority, followed by the PPP with 19 per cent, the winds have clearly changed. The same respondents now plan on voting for the PTI by a whopping 70 per cent majority, followed by the PML-N at 19 per cent. The PPP has dropped to a mere two per cent. When asked who they would like to see as the next prime minister of Pakistan, 71 per cent of respondents selected Imran Khan.
A June 2011 poll revealed that 61 per cent of this same demographic favoured Imran Khan as the country’s next leader but only 17 per cent of them felt he had a realistic shot at winning. Comparatively, of the 71 per cent who favour Imran Khan now, 63 per cent feel he will actually win a majority of seats. This marks a dramatic rise in confidence amongst Imran Khan’s supporters.
Of all the major parties, the PPP enjoys the largest support from rural voters. Respondents report that their median household size is five members and an overwhelming 75 per cent of them claim that their entire household will be voting for the same candidate. It would appear that living room conversations have resulted in consensus amongst family members.
The educated middle class will vote along party lines. Some 74 per cent of respondents reveal that their decision on who to vote for will primarily be influenced by the party of the candidate rather than the candidate’s credentials.
Frustration with high levels of corruption, terrorism, power shortages and joblessness has awakened the sleeping giant. When asked what the top priority should be of the new government, 23 per cent suggest that ending corruption is at the front of the queue. Eradicating terrorism, ending power cuts and increasing employment all tie for second place with 19 per cent.
The most pressing concerns cited above have deteriorated people’s quality of life to unbearable levels, which has prompted an unprecedented 93 per cent projected turnout amongst educated, urban middle class voters on May 11. The sleeping educated urban middle class giant has awakened, filled with hope and a strong resolve. It’s about time.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 9th, 2013.