- Report shows Sharif brothers gained popularity over performance in Punjab and centre.
- Imran Khan’s fame plunges to negative, KPK CM enjoys appreciation compared to predecessor.
Gallup Pakistan on Saturday released its Annual Public Pulse Report (APPR) 2014 based public opinion.
The APPR was on findings from a nationally representative poll in the rural and urban areas of all four provinces of Pakistan. Sample size for the research was 2,596 adult men and women, face-to-face interviews, selected through probability sampling method. The field work was carried out from January 6 to January 13, 2014.
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT:
The survey revealed that the present PML-N-led federal government’s performance ratings were a huge improvement over the PPP-led Zardari government a year ago, as there was an improvement of 59 percent points in the rating of overall performance of the present government. The Nawaz government gets a Green Card (favourable views exceed unfavourable views) in overall running of the government, as 55 percent people gave it a favourable rating.
NATIONAL LEADERS:
The net performance ratings for political leaders rated Nawaz Sharif (PML-N) at the top with a rating of favourable 18 percent. Imran Khan (PTI) was rated as minus 5 percent unfavourable, Asif Ali Zardari (PPP) at minus 28 percent, Altaf Hussain (MQM) minus 39 percent, Mulana Fazlur Rehman (JUI) at 21 percent and Asfandyar Wali Khan (ANP) rated at minus 34 percent. Ratings of Syed Munawar Hassan (JI) remained unchanged.
ECONOMY, PAK-INDIA RELATIONS &FOREIGN POLICY:
For the six key indicators including economy, Pak-India relations, overall foreign policy, terrorism control, corruption control and inflation control, the present PML-N government received positive comparative net performance ratings. Economy recorded a positive 48 percent comparative net performance, Pak-India relations 22 percent, foreign policy 33 percent, terrorism control 31 percent, corruption control 36 percent and inflation control recorded a positive 20 percent net change.
INFLATION, TERRORISM & CORRUPTION:
On issues of controlling inflation, terrorism and corruption, there was an improvement over the relative ratings of the previous government in its last year, showing an improvement of 20 percent points on the subject of inflation; 31 percent points on control of terrorism and 36 percent points on control of corruption in government.
Gallup Pakistan survey shows that the government performance still gets a Red Card on controlling inflation, terrorism and corruption in the government. But the Red Card was not as dark as the one received by the PPP-led government a year ago. Despite Red Cards on specific issues, Nawaz government gets a Green Card (favourable views exceed unfavourable views) in overall running of the government, as 55 percent give a favourable and 40 percent give an unfavourable rating, giving a positive balance of 15 percent points. A year ago only 27 percent had given a favourable rating to the then PPP-led government while 71 percent had given a negative rating, which gave it a negative balance of 44 percent points.
PROVINCIAL CHIEF MINISTERS:
Another aspect covered by the Gallup Pakistan was the performance of chief ministers of the four provinces. Performance of Punjab CM was rated as “very good” by 21 percent people surveyed while as 28 percent rated him “good”.
Six percent “very good” ratings were obtained by the Sindh CM, while the KPK CM and Balochistan CM got each a mere four percent “very good” rating. The Punjab CM topped the lot by obtaining 26 percent overall net performance rating. The other chief ministers remained on the negative list with the Sindh CM obtaining minus 9 percent, KPK CM minus 11 percent and Balochistan CM obtaining minus 14 percent net performance ratings. However, an overall positive trend was observed in the performance of the chief ministers as compared to the performance ratings taken in 2013, during the same period when the PPP government was in power. The Punjab CM improved his performance by 6 percent as compared to 2013 and the Sindh CM improved it by 18 percent. The new CMs in KPK and Balochistan improved their performance ratings significantly from their predecessors as Balochistan CM got 20 percent performance ratings and KPK CM was rated as 16 percent better as compared to the previous CMs for the same period.
ARMY, POLICE, PARLIAMENT & POLITICAL PARTIES:
Gallup Pakistan also surveyed opinion about State institutions. Net performance ratings of armed forces improved up to 49 percent, Supreme Court improved 27 percent, while Parliament improved its rating to eight percent. However, performance of other institutions including police, lower courts and political parties got negative ratings, with police at minus 42 percent, Lower Courts at minus six percent and political parties’ performance rated at minus 17 percent. Comparative net performance ratings for state institutions as compared to 2013, however, improved. Armed forces recorded a net change of 4 percent, police 8 percent, lower courts two percent, parliament 30 percent and political parties 20 percent. It was only the Supreme Court that recorded a negative 14 percent net change.
NGOS, MEDIA & RELIGIOUS LEADERS:
Comparative net performance ratings for civil society institutions were also recorded comparing the period of January 2014 with January 2013. The NGOs recorded a positive 15 percent, media three percent, educational institutions (schools and colleges) three percent and religious leaders recorded seven percent positive net change as compared to 2013.
