Global End of Year Survey: After US, Pakistan considered biggest threat to world peace
24% of the world believes America represents the biggest threat to peace. In comparison, only 8% believe it is Pakistan, which is closely followed by neighbours China (6%), and Afghanistan (5%) and Iran (5%).
Source: WIN/Gallup International
Citizens from arch-rival India, which is ranked at eight, may have had a large role in Pakistan's dismal ranking, though, considering 15% of the world's population lives there.
As for US, the results were not all that surprising considering their awkward history of controversial political and military interventions round the globe. 13% Americans considered their own country the biggest threat to peace.
WIN/Gallup, which calls itself "the leading association in market research and polling" is made up of 77 independent market research and polling firms that WIN/Gallup claims to cover 95% of the world’s market.
The 37th annual 'End of Year Survey' of the association is defined as "a global study that collects the public’s view on the challenges that the world faces today". It is supposed to be a reflection of the thoughts and behaviours of the population from 65 countries around the world.
With respect to the average global population, the bigger findings from the 2013 survey reveal:
- Despite a year of economic difficulty, almost 50% of people surveyed are more positive about 2014 than they were for 2013
- US, Canada and Australia are the countries where most people would like to live if they could
- US is considered to be the greatest threat to peace in the world, followed by Pakistan and China
- Over a third of those surveyed believe the world would be a better place if there were more female politicians
- Now in its 37th year WIN/Gallup International End of Year Survey finds that since 1989 people in general have a more positive outlook on economic prosperity for the coming year
Source: WIN/Gallup International
Win/Gallup interviewed 67,806 people in total, in 65 countries either face-to-face, by telephone on online, between September and December 2013.
The margin or error is +/- 3.5%.
The global average was calculated according to the share of the covered adult population of the surveyed countries.
Pakistan
The survey's Pakistan profile records answers provided by 2000 Pakistanis for each the following questions:
Q1. As far as you are concerned, do you think that 2014 will be better, worse or the same as 2013?
41% Pakistanis think the coming year will be better than 2013, with 24% saying it will be worse, 31% saying there will be no difference and the rest being indifferent/no answer.
Q2. Compared to this year, in your opinion, will next year be a year of economic prosperity, economic difficulty or remain the same for your country?
33% were optimistic for prosperity, 30% expected it to be a more difficult year while 30% said it will be more or less the same.
Q3. In general, do you personally feel happy, unhappy or neither happy nor unhappy about your life?
While 44% were happy with their lives, 16% were unhappy and 37% felt they were neither happy nor unhappy.
Q4. If there were no barriers to living in any country of the world, which country would you like to live in?
30% — the highest percentage — of Pakistanis said they would like to live in Saudi Arabia. 11% opted for United Arab Emirates while 6% wished to live in America.
22% Pakistanis said they were happy where they were and would not want to move anywhere else.
Q5. If politicians were predominantly women, do you believe the world would in general be a better place, a worse place or no different?
29% Pakistanis thought a majority of women politicians would make the world a better place, with 33% saying it would become worse. 22% of the people surveyed were of the opinion that it would not make a difference.
Q6. Which country do you think is the greatest threat to peace in the world today?
2 out of 2000 Pakistanis opined that Pakistan was currently the greatest threat to peace in the world.
A daunting 44% of the subjects said the US was the greatest threat, with 15% going for India and 13% for Israel.
Saudi Arabia was not on the list.
COMMENTS (81)
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No other country in the world is as militarily thuggish as the United States. No other country in the world is as hostile to its citizens as the United States. The United States is the only country openly, illegally, spying on its citizens. The United States is a record holder for the number citizens imprisoned. The government of the United States has illegally suspended its Constitution. The United States murders its own people without judicial process.
From the reckless killing of civilians around the world, with drones, to allowing domestic, for profit, insurance corporations to deny 45,000 American citizens to die from curable illnesses.
The world community has resoundingly voted the United States the biggest threat to peace on Earth.
@MSS: You have asked a very interesting question "However, why would anybody want to migrate to Saudi Arabia? 30 Percent Pakistanis want to. It is surprising that so many would willingly give up their freedom to speak, travel, drive etc." The answer is very simple freebies my dear Sir, freebies. No taxes to pay, live there and enjoy as God has given lots of petrol to sell and sell to the world. And be free of terrorism. BUT the sad thing is they will not let you live there, buy property or settle. NO green card Sir, No green card they do not chest beat about Islamic brotherhood.
@Dhaka: Sri Lanka fought the indian tamil invasion (with our help) and won the war and all of a sudden you have become an authority to declare us a fail state. Oh yes, global warming may consume the state of Bangladesh soon so its a question of real sense survival for you guys. Good luck with that too brother!.
The Indian fear vote for Pakistan has some history behind. Good or bad, like it or not, the fact is the Indian psyche is embedded with the fear of Pakistan; although India has reversed a thousand years’ history by invading and dismembering Pakistan. This psyche is the result of history, much of it before Pakistan came into existence and since Pakistan has become an embodiment of and symbol of Muslim invasion of India, and this psyche is not going to go away anytime, soon. However, let us wish for peace between India and Pakistan.
This credit has given to Pakistan only due to excessive and overmuch US' pressure and interference in Pakistan's any security matters,foreign policies and Taliban.....
@Saad: It may not be because of your army but because of polio virus though.
Pakistan is the most Peace loving nation on this planet ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Believe it or not.
With extremists gaining inches every single day in all walk of lives and nuclear bomb in the kitty, should it be a surprise that Pakistan is placed 2nd?
@Daddy:
I would'nt provoke Pakistanis if I was in your position and giving any credibility to the Polls! Your military leaders could provide you with the estimated time required for turning India into the Ashoka India.
Rex Minor
@Justice Miscarried:
Fear?? Where you get that word from?..ahahaha It is considering Pakistan as a rouge failed state full of polio infected terrorists. Pakistan can't even fight Afghanistan or Iran forget India, it has gained itself this status/hatred because of the Terrorism it spreads around the world. And talking of historical origin, your Pakistan is the most invaded part in the world, you have been invaded by Ashoka of India to Alexander of Mecedon to Mughals of Central Asia. And isn't is correct that Arab call you guys as converts? Are you talking about that..eh?LMAO Btw just for record only a quarter of Indians voted against Pakistan. India is not interested in a country like Pakistan where Pakistan is literally obsessed with India mainly because of the inferiority complex you Pakistani's have.
This gallup pole was taken by the team of idiots and meant for the consumption of idiots!! Why not read the scriptures which explains with clarity the people not COUNTRIES who are the potential threat for the world peace. The Express Tribune management could have asked its readers about their perception of the individual people who have the power and are the potential threat for the world peace, and declared him as the MAN of the tan Year?.Pakistan itself is under threat and not a threat to the world peace.
Rex Minor
So Afghanistan opposed the creation of Pakistan therefore you are justified in trying to destabilize Afghanistan to the end of time? This is your basis and justification for your actions?
You also seem very frightened at the prospect of an Afghan state yet proclaim them to be incapable of societal progression. I wonder which one is the truth and which one is a convenient talking point.
I just wish you had the courage to tell your enemy you deem him as such. The world and even militants see through Pakistani smoke and mirrors today. It doesn't matter what you think anymore.
Controlled Survey, I guess..
@objective observer:
Did you not read the first part of my comment? I said Afghanistan opposed the creation of Pakistan, they voted against Pakistan's creation at the UN and Afghan King Daud supported separatists in NWFP(KPK) in the 50s and 60s, Pakistan responded with "strategic depth" in the 70s onwards, so Afghanistan were the ones that instigated us.
You need to get the chronology right.
@RD Sultan:
Woah!Don't try to tie the Palestine cause to the Durrand line treaty, the Afghan King Abdur Rehman Khan sold KPK to the British and Pakistan inherited that land.
Pashtuns in Pakistan are well integrated and and successful than their counterparts in Afghanistan, we're not oppressing the Pashtuns, the way Israelis are oppressing Palestinians.
@Udaya Bose:
You shouldn't even be speaking, India has problems with China,Nepal,Sri Lanka and even Bangladesh, let alone Pakistan.
America's intentions unlike Pakistan's are not the infliction of casualties on civilians. America cares about the deaths of civilians. Pakistan is indifferent to ethnic cleansing of anyone non Punjabi.
It so appears that this survey was conducted in Pakistan who on expected lines voted against the Americans otherwise such a strong contender should not have been languishing at number two spot with just 8% votes which should have been excess of 50% followed by its all weather friend China.
@Peace: "After US, It is India. Period" ++++++++++++++++++++ Corrected: After India, It is US. Period
@Adnan: "I salute US for their peace efforts" Dear Adnan Yes, Americans are really peaceful? In the last few years they have only threatened, confronted, bombed, helped to bomb or invaded, Afghanistan, Libya, Syria, Iraq, Korea, Vietnam, several South American countries, Pakistan, Iran, Yugoslavia, China, and many African countries. I would hate to see them when they become aggressive and warlike. They might even become dangerous. Further, several million people who are no longer with us were unfortunately unable to take part in the survey.
Lol....just 8% and that too mostly from our dear neighbour who have strived hard, trolled even harder to make us on top...My commiserations to u indians but seems like all ur cyber army and propagandists are having a free lunch...time to put them on work dears....
1% for Saudia Arabia? You gotta be kidding me. Saudia is the biggest threat to peace around the world.
Why not Israel in this list??????
and why not India on 3rd????
Each citizen has love for the motherland. Same is true for Pakistani citizens. However the way masses are electing the leaders and how these so called leaders are damaging the country has to be seen objectively. See in neighbour. Masses reacted and destroyed Congress in Delhi by voting AAP. AAP raised the voice against corruption and justice to all. Many voices are raised in Pakistan but masses are paying a deaf ear to such voices. Allah also does not change the fate of any nation unless nation strives for it. So each has to be objective and educate masses of Pakistan to elect sensible, just and honest leaders.
Indians have rated Pakistan as dangerous country partly because their fear has a historical origin. Peace won't be threatened unless India denies Pakistan its due share of water. Kashmir, may or may not be the cause of a future India-Pakistan war but drying up Pakistan is likely to be. So, in the best interest of peace, the Indians should prevail upon their Government to assure that Pakistan gets its due share of water, as a future war could risk sub-continental suicide.
@goldconsumer: Don't worry, we have less fanatics than your country.We are a progressive country,but you are a failed state
@Dhaka: Very soon your own government will be a danger to you, the policies it is adopting. Cheers!
After Americans leave Afghanistan and sign peace agreement with Iran, Pakistan would be elevated to its rightful number one position during 2014.
Let us not get carried away by threats and praises but vow to contribute in making the World a better, loving and peaceful place in 2014 and there after. Happy New Year !
**Interestingly, Indians on third greatest threat to world peace: India!
Furthermore, Indians aged 18-24 on which country is the greatest threat to world peace: US (23%); India (19%); Pakistan (18%)**
http://www.wingia.com/web/files/news/101/file/101.pdf
@Pmahmud: Taking the Bais out of this equation as both Pk and India are biased against each other.
Quater of 15 % for indian population of smaple size is is 3.75 % take that out 8% - 3.75 % and you get = 4.25% people afraid of Pk
so it does make a difference. On the other hand you take the Pak sample which i think would roughly be 2000/67806 = 0.29 % of total sample . Then 15 % of .29 = 0.4 % India rating 4 -0.4 % = 3.6 %
so it's 4.25% pk VS 3.6 % india as threat
Not much difference left. So get the fact straight and chill as we are still better off against all the negative publicity for the past Six seven years .
@mbd4u: Have you visited Pakistan? How many Pakistanis you know? Rather i should ask how much info you gain other than watching your channels? Advise: dont blog, be happy in your merry dreams!
@Sparta:
Experience always makes people wiser. The Afghans evidently know a thing or two that even we in India don't!
I am surprised Pakistan is not at No.1. There should be a repoll or NADRA must be asked to verify the votes.
Poll methodology makes little sense - for example they polled almost 3 times the number of Afghans over American's even though Afghanistan has 1/10th the population Also Gallup only seemed to be nominally involved in the poll having only participated in a couple of countries like Bulgaria and Pakistan.
Australia?... what were the respondents smoking?
Thank you PMLN and PTI. Thank you very much for vouching for the cause of defaming the country.
@Sparta:
If you believe that Palestine should be given back to the Palestinians, then you should likewise believe that KPK should be given back to the Afghans.
Tit for tat. As simple as that.
Its all Crap
@Naeem: Please read again. Israel is very much on the list.
@Ahmed: Did 15% of the sample come from India? No. So how does t matter that 15% of people live in India?
@Rejekt: Why do you think that is the case? Could it be because all wars with India were started by Pakistan? Could it be because Pakistan had a policy of leading India with a thousand cuts? Could it be because Pakistan trained and funded those responsible for 26/11 and refuses o prosecute those accountable?
@Assad: Bad logic. Indians did not constitute 15% of the sample. The total Population of India is irrelevant since the sample was not chosen proportionally.
China, US, UK, Iran, Russia, Afghanistan, France have all spoken about terrorism originating from Pakistan.
Survey seems scientific, there is no mentioning of Bangla Desh, Sri Lanka, Iraq and Saudi Arabia.
@crap: I can't help but think that you are full of crap and likes to be called crap.
@Arzoo: I think you have some very valid and convincing argument about these polls.About Hillary Clinton, let us not go there.
@crap:
"Seems afghans hate you more than Indians do."
Thanks for the link though I'm not surprised. Plenty of Pakistanis who go to Afghanistan have to pretend to be Indians.
I would have ranked Pakistan first followed by Israel, Saudi Arabia, USA and China.
It does make sense considering the 1 billion Indians. No wonder Pakistan and China got so much votes...! I wish if they could reveal the demographics of the votes by count. Anyways for me its good to know that those Indians think that well of us.....! Stay afraid India..... Stay really afraid..!
Another feather in the cap of proud Pakistani nation.
change your terrorist mind you all pakistanis . You should be no 1 . In 2013 majority of terrorist attack somewhere related to pakistan.
@Sparta:
Oh yes, the Afghans betrayed your so brotherly tendencies. You opened your arms to embrace your Muslim brothers with the Haqqani in one hand and the Quetta Shura in the other.
If you deem Afghanistan as a nation an existential threat. Who's the one with the problem coexisting?
Where was this poll conducted, why was this not on Public forum, we dont know. why Isreal not named ? which is the basis for threats tothe world. Corrupt Media like a postman, manufacturing and forwrding all that benifits them.
India with 15 percent of sample size and a quarter of the voting against Pakistan shows a net contribution of 3%. So you take that out the Pakistan would be only 5%. tied with Iran and Israel. I don't see war mongering Britain and France any were? Why? .
It is a statistical sample and would be stratified. Indians could not have impacted the findings beyond a certain point and Pakistani responses would have neutralised it somewhat. So, it should be taken as presented.
We are fully agreeing the report that pakistan is one of the biggest threat to world peace.
:LOL - same poll puts the USA as No. ! country everyone wants to move to. First time I have seen a Gallup poll where almost the entire polling process was subcontracted out to other polling firms ( they didn't even participate in the USA poll) - makes you wonder about the quality of the polling process.
Woohoo! We're in the same category as America!
Thank you Afghans and Indians, We hate you guys..... Have a very unpleasant and a dismal new year!!!
@crap: " the genocide of shias? the cleansing of minorities?" while these issues do exist, your analysis seems wildly exaggerated!
The rankings seem to be accurate. However, why would anybody want to migrate to Saudi Arabia? 30 Percent Pakistanis want to. It is surprising that so many would willingly give up their freedom to speak, travel, drive etc. Now is there a relationship between that 30percent and the terrorism that is stalking every part of Pakistan? GOP should take a serious note of this survey and all those 'Current Affairs' programs anchors please refrain from rejecting this survey as an attempt by the West to malign Pakistan yet again.
Indians wouldnt be misguided by this Finding ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ We know who is number One.
15% of world's population lives in India! No wonder this will be the result, this is only a result of India being our neighbor and does not reflect global opinion. This is what the BBC website says on the matter, not me.
Well, India would have been way down in the list if Indian people themselves didn't feel that India is a threat to peace. 12% Indians feel they are threat, I feel that shows how much anger they have on current Congress. But, in all other China and India polled almost close percentage on each of those views.
@Crap - It is pretty evident that Pakistanis are more hated by Indians rather than the other way around as indicated by your highlighted points. So cut the crap and face the truth.
After exporting nuclear technology to rouge states we have been exporting terrorists and terrorism to the world. Now time to take up biological weapons as the Polio is on the rise and we would continue Not to control it.
get a life. how many in India has internet? in percentage wise?
@crap:
We already know how Afghanistan feels about us, it seems like you're not well versed in the history of Pakistan and Afghanistan's relation.
Afghanistan voted against the creation of Pakistan in the UN general assembly in 1947-48, the Afghans do not recognize the Durrand line and they have claims over the provinces of KPK and Baluchistan.
Afghanistan's Kind Daud Khan was supported separatism in KPK(then NWFP) back in the 50s and 60s, Pakistan responded by intervening in Afghanistan.
Afghanistan is just as big as an existential threat to Pakistan as India, in fact I would rate Afghanistan as a bigger threat to Pakistan's existence.
The Afghans were never our brothers.
@ET mods:post this.
After reading that all that came to mind was...........that was amusing.
Less people are familar with Pakistan or it would easily take the cake.
Only 6% of Pakistanis wish to live in US???? Now this shows how fake this survey is...!!
Funny, the so called Axis of Evil i.e. North Korea and Iran are way behind U.S. which keeps declaring war against nations which it deems as threat!!
This says it all:
So much for Pakistan being a threat to World peace!!!!
Happy new year to ET and it's readers.
Brilliant! US is number 1 and we are number 2. However, let's not forget one essential difference before getting too happy and thinking we are somehow absolved of our issues.
The US is number 1 on the list because it's number 1 in terms of global influence at the moment. People recognize it's ability to influence and shape global Outcomes to further its national strategic and economic objectives. Nobody (eu, china, india) likes being lower than them in power or their arrogance. It's important to note that inspite being number 1 as a threat, the article mentions that the US (plus Canada, australia) is the country in which most respondents want to live.
We are on the list for more sinister reasons such as terrorism , terrorist havens and having nuke arsenals with so much terrorism in the country.
oh yeah, btw, only 25 percent Indian respondents said Pakistan was the biggest threat, and majority never had such a view. India also figures in the list because of Pakistanis, if else, no one would rate India as threat to world peace, not even Chinese.
Even if no Indian responded,i'm pretty Pakistan would have figured in top three, after all, according to recent BBC news, your nuclear missiles are already in service for Saudi kingdom, which in in itself is one of the biggest financier of terror networks.
your brothers
Afghan respondents put Pakistan at the top of the list of biggest threats (26 percent) , followed by the U.S. (21
seems afghans hate you more than Indians do.
After US, It is India. Period Peace
oh yeah, citizens from "arch-rival" were responsible for pakistan's dismal ranking, but not the fact that pakistan had rogue nuclear network with rogue states? the fact of bin laden was hiding there doesn't count? the genocide of shias? the cleansing of minorities? allowing terror organisations to run free doesn't count at all. It must be true, its only Indians doing this, otherwise Pakistan is all peaceful and absolute heaven, where everyone would want to stay there, except Pakistanis themselves of course.
Grow up....your own politicians done much more bad things to your country than India has, and yet, the editor couldn't control his frustration and barked at India, before even checking how many Indians actually took part in the poll, what a crap level of journalism. shame, utter shame.
Those 24% people are drunk. I salute US for their efforts towards world peace. God Bless America!!
Absolute bunk. Surveys like these are pure nonsense. Up until recently these surveys were pointing towards Soviet Union and China as the biggest threat. After destroying communism, now they are turning their guns toward smaller toads. Remember, just recently the so-called "axis of evil" were North Korea, Iran, and Libya???? After responding to the survey, the respondents went back to watching their football game sipping on their favorite drink. Just yesterday I read the survey which revealed that Hillary Clinton is the most admired woman in the world. Almost half the humanity lives in China, Indo-Pak sub-continent, and surrounding countries. Is Hillary the most admired woman in that part of the world?????
That's quite an achievement guys. The world is afraid of us. Haha