Soft on American entertainment, way of business, Pakistanis still view US unfavourably
Pew Research Center survey shows that Pakistanis who liked US entertainment content, way of doing business doubled.
Pakistanis had the least favourable view of the US in 2013. NOTE: This is a redacted version of the full list of countries for which results are available. Please see story, and PEW site for the full list. PHOTO: COURTESY PEW
Ties between Pakistan and the United States have not been the best in recent years with public sentiment over drones resulting in a public led blockade of Nato supplies to and from Afghanistan. However, the atmosphere has relatively improved from 2012, data released by PEW revealed.
According to the Washington DC based think tank, Pew Research Center, public sentiment in Pakistan on whether the US was an enemy, fell to 64% in July 2013, down from 74% in 2012 after three consecutive years if increasingly adverse sentiment.
Only Palestine held a stronger view of America as an enemy with 76% of the respondents considering the US as an enemy.
On the other hand, only eight per cent of Pakistanis considered the US as a partner.
Of the countries surveyed, Pakistanis held the least favourable view of the US with 11%. Though, this has fallen from 12% of those polled in 2012.
In contrast, Pakistan, was the fourth country to hold an unfavourable view of the US at 72%, behind the likes of Jordan (85%), Egypt (81%) and Palestine (79%). Unfavourable view by Pakistanis fell from 80% in 2012.
Drone strikes, which has been the major sticking point between Pakistan and the US over the past few years, contributed the most towards Pakistani sentiments against the US with 68% of those polled in spring 2013 disapproving the strikes.
Given that Pakistan is one of the few countries in the world to be actively bombarded by such attacks, disapproval of the strikes lagged behind 19 other countries. The PEW poll found that the 68% Pakistani disapproval towards drone attacks was well behind Venezuela’s 91%, Greece 89% and Egypt’s 89%.
Meanwhile, only five per cent of Pakistanis approved drone strikes. Israel (64%) and US (61%) led with the most approval for drone strikes.
Disapprove the US, not Americans
Despite the low opinion that Pakistanis have for the state of US, it is a different story when it comes to the American people.
Pakistanis had an increasingly favourable view of Americans, rising from just 14% in 2012, to 17% in 2013.
This is much higher from the 10 year low in 2011, where only 12% of those polled held a favourable view of the Americans. However, this is quite short of the 2006 high when 27% of those polled held a favourable view of Americans.
Despite the increasing favourable view of Americans, Pakistan still holds the least favourable view towards Americans in the countries that were polled.
By contrast, the poll recorded a massive fall in the unfavourable view of Americans held by Pakistanis, down to 60% in 2013 from 73% in 2012. It also marked a turn in the rise in an unfavourable view of Americans in recent years which had steadily increased from 56% in 2008 to 73% in 2012.
Egyptians (32%), Jordanians (31%) , Palesitinians (25%) and Turks (20%) held better views of Americans than Pakistanis. Philippines (85%), Ghana (84%), South Korea (80%) and Israel (80%) held the most favourble views towards Americans.
Pakistan falls behind Palestine (69%), Turkey (68%), Jordan (65%) and Egypt (65%) in list of countries with the most unfavourble view of Americans.
Increased consumption of American life style
Despite the issues with the US and Americans, Pakistanis became increasingly fond of the way Americans did business and of their entertainment products such as music, television and films.
Pakistanis who liked American entertainment, doubled in 2012 (12%) from the number of Pakistanis who liked it in 2002 (four per cent).
Those Pakistanis who disliked American content fell from 79% in 2002, to 78% in 2012, having risen to 80% in 2007.
Pakistanis who liked the way Americans did business also doubled in the same period, from 14% in 2002 to 28% in 2012. Those who disliked the way Americans did business fell from 53% in 2002, to 51% in 2012, having risen to 56% in 2007.
According to the Washington DC based think tank, Pew Research Center, public sentiment in Pakistan on whether the US was an enemy, fell to 64% in July 2013, down from 74% in 2012 after three consecutive years if increasingly adverse sentiment.
Only Palestine held a stronger view of America as an enemy with 76% of the respondents considering the US as an enemy.
On the other hand, only eight per cent of Pakistanis considered the US as a partner.
Of the countries surveyed, Pakistanis held the least favourable view of the US with 11%. Though, this has fallen from 12% of those polled in 2012.
In contrast, Pakistan, was the fourth country to hold an unfavourable view of the US at 72%, behind the likes of Jordan (85%), Egypt (81%) and Palestine (79%). Unfavourable view by Pakistanis fell from 80% in 2012.
Drone strikes, which has been the major sticking point between Pakistan and the US over the past few years, contributed the most towards Pakistani sentiments against the US with 68% of those polled in spring 2013 disapproving the strikes.
Given that Pakistan is one of the few countries in the world to be actively bombarded by such attacks, disapproval of the strikes lagged behind 19 other countries. The PEW poll found that the 68% Pakistani disapproval towards drone attacks was well behind Venezuela’s 91%, Greece 89% and Egypt’s 89%.
Meanwhile, only five per cent of Pakistanis approved drone strikes. Israel (64%) and US (61%) led with the most approval for drone strikes.
Disapprove the US, not Americans
Despite the low opinion that Pakistanis have for the state of US, it is a different story when it comes to the American people.
Pakistanis had an increasingly favourable view of Americans, rising from just 14% in 2012, to 17% in 2013.
This is much higher from the 10 year low in 2011, where only 12% of those polled held a favourable view of the Americans. However, this is quite short of the 2006 high when 27% of those polled held a favourable view of Americans.
Despite the increasing favourable view of Americans, Pakistan still holds the least favourable view towards Americans in the countries that were polled.
By contrast, the poll recorded a massive fall in the unfavourable view of Americans held by Pakistanis, down to 60% in 2013 from 73% in 2012. It also marked a turn in the rise in an unfavourable view of Americans in recent years which had steadily increased from 56% in 2008 to 73% in 2012.
Egyptians (32%), Jordanians (31%) , Palesitinians (25%) and Turks (20%) held better views of Americans than Pakistanis. Philippines (85%), Ghana (84%), South Korea (80%) and Israel (80%) held the most favourble views towards Americans.
Pakistan falls behind Palestine (69%), Turkey (68%), Jordan (65%) and Egypt (65%) in list of countries with the most unfavourble view of Americans.
Increased consumption of American life style
Despite the issues with the US and Americans, Pakistanis became increasingly fond of the way Americans did business and of their entertainment products such as music, television and films.
Pakistanis who liked American entertainment, doubled in 2012 (12%) from the number of Pakistanis who liked it in 2002 (four per cent).
Those Pakistanis who disliked American content fell from 79% in 2002, to 78% in 2012, having risen to 80% in 2007.
Pakistanis who liked the way Americans did business also doubled in the same period, from 14% in 2002 to 28% in 2012. Those who disliked the way Americans did business fell from 53% in 2002, to 51% in 2012, having risen to 56% in 2007.