The vast majority of Pakistanis are unhappy with their country’s direction and a growing number see the domestic Taliban as a threat, said a survey released Tuesday ahead of elections.
The poll by the Pew Research Center found that 91 per cent of Pakistanis were dissatisfied with the direction of the country and that a mere 14 per cent saw President Asif Ali Zardari favourably.
Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, seen as a front-runner in Saturday’s election, was viewed favorably by 66 per cent of Pakistanis and 60 per cent held positive views of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan.
However, the poll was taken in March, when Pakistan was just starting the campaign for what could be the country’s first democratic transition of power. Pew conducted 1,201 in-person interviews across Pakistan.
The poll found overwhelming alarm at crime and terrorism. Forty-nine per cent described the Taliban as a “very serious threat” to Pakistan, for the first time nearly equaling those who said the same about historic rival India.
Despite concerns about the Taliban, the vast majority opposed US drone attacks against militants, saying they killed too many civilians. Two-thirds welcomed US plans to pull troops out of neighboring Afghanistan next year.
Unlike in much of the world, Pakistani opinions of the United States have grown only more negative since President Barack Obama succeeded George W Bush, with only 11 per cent saying they had a positive image of the country.
A majority said that US assistance to Pakistan — including a $7.5 billion civilian aid package unveiled in 2009 in hopes of improving the relationship – had no or even a negative impact.
Despite wide pessimism about the country’s direction, 79 per cent of Pakistanis praised the impact of the military — long a key power center — and smaller majorities voiced confidence in religious leaders, the media and the courts.
Democracy can never flourish in pakistan civilian govt can never keep democracy and law and order there in pakistan ,I am sure now the time has come that let martial law be imposed and let army clean up the terrorist and Taliban ,let generals make millions at least there will be peace in country,so what if they make millions of dollars and keep the country free from terror,that country was under army rule since 1947'the fate of the country can not be changed,
What an idiotic statement!
Pakistani opinions of the United States has grown more negative,so has the number to Pakistanis who want to move there.Does anyone know ho many applications sit at the consulate??? Most everyone is on facebook,guess what??? its American,most all want youtube back,guess what??? its American.Only the so called little too religious(in the public) the uneducated and the mullas hate the U S,most all educated ones want to move there because it offers a great life.And as for the so called democracy,there is no democracy here in our country,its a sham,a word used to make you think its all ok,wake up Pakistan.
There is a lot of religious freedom in the West which is contrary to the general view held in Pakistan. As far as Pakistanis wishing to move to US; it is not different from the citizens of an economically impoverished country anywhere wishing to move to a developed country for want of a better life for themselves and their coming generations. BUT when they move and settee in the West they face a different set of problems they had not previously envisaged.
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