Pakistan: State of the nation
Exclusive Al Jazeera opinion poll in Pakistan reveals most resent US ‘interference’.
Military Operation | Drone Attacks | Dialogue vs Offensive | President Zardari | Pakistan Peoples Party | ‘Best’ leader | Taliban threat vs US, India |
An exclusive Al Jazeera survey of public opinion in Pakistan has revealed widespread disenchantment with the United States for interfering with what most people consider internal Pakistani affairs.
Gallup Pakistan, an affiliate of the Gallup International polling group, carried out the survey.
The field work was done among more than 2,500 men and women across the rural and urban areas of all four provinces of Pakistan on July 26 and 27 this year. The field work was done face to face. The margin of error is + 2-3 per cent at 95 per cent confidence level.
Further details are available in the Methods Report.
On military operations |
Question: Some people favour the military operation by the government against the Taliban, while some oppose. What is your view?
Favour |
41% |
Oppose |
24% |
Neutral |
22% |
Don’t Know |
13% |
Total |
100% |
Voting Intention-wise |
Favour |
Oppose |
Neutral |
Don’t know/No response |
PPP |
52 |
23 |
18 |
7 |
PML-N |
31 |
23 |
25 |
21 |
MQM |
62 |
17 |
17 |
4 |
ANP |
79 |
2 |
19 |
0 |
JUI / MMA |
16 |
64 |
10 |
10 |
All Others Parties |
43 |
27 |
19 |
11 |
Other responses |
34 |
26 |
25 |
15 |
Language-wise | ||||
Urdu |
50 |
25 |
21 |
4 |
Punjabi |
28 |
25 |
25 |
22 |
Sindhi |
64 |
23 |
8 |
5 |
Pashto |
49 |
20 |
18 |
13 |
All others languages |
45 |
23 |
26 |
5 |
Age-wise |
|
|
|
|
Under 30 |
42 |
19 |
24 |
15 |
30 – 50 |
40 |
27 |
20 |
13 |
51+ |
43 |
27 |
22 |
9 |
Gender-wise |
|
|
|
|
Men |
42 |
23 |
23 |
12 |
Women |
39 |
24 |
21 |
16 |
On drone attacks |
Question: Do you favour or oppose drone attacks by the United States against Taliban and al-Qaeda targets in Pakistan?
Favour |
9% |
Oppose |
67% |
Neutral |
24% |
Total |
100% |
Voting Intention-wise |
Favour |
Oppose |
Neutral |
Don’t know/No response |
PPP |
8 |
67 |
24 |
0 |
PML-N |
9 |
62 |
29 |
0 |
MQM |
7 |
79 |
14 |
0 |
ANP |
6 |
91 |
3 |
0 |
JUI / MMA |
2 |
79 |
19 |
0 |
All Others Parties |
16 |
58 |
24 |
2 |
Other responses |
5 |
71 |
19 |
4 |
Language-wise | ||||
Urdu |
5 |
75 |
19 |
1 |
Punjabi |
8 |
58 |
33 |
1 |
Sindhi |
8 |
70 |
21 |
2 |
Pashto |
6 |
65 |
27 |
1 |
All others languages |
14 |
80 |
6 |
0 |
Age-wise |
|
|
|
|
Under 30 |
11 |
67 |
20 |
1 |
30 – 50 |
7 |
64 |
28 |
1 |
51+ |
3 |
80 |
16 |
1 |
Gender-wise |
|
|
|
|
Men |
9 |
68 |
22 |
1 |
Women |
8 |
65 |
26 |
1 |
On dialogue vs military action |
Question: In your view, should the Pakistani government have a dialogue with the Taliban of Swat, or carry out military action? Some people support dialogue, others support military action. What is your view?
Military Action |
41% |
Dialogue |
43% |
Don’t Know |
16% |
Total |
100% |
Voting Intention-wise |
Military action |
Dialogue |
Don’t know/No response |
PPP |
51 |
36 |
12 |
PML-N |
33 |
23 |
21 |
MQM |
41 |
53 |
6 |
ANP |
60 |
38 |
1 |
JUI / MMA |
28 |
61 |
11 |
All Others Parties |
44 |
40 |
16 |
Other responses |
35 |
48 |
17 |
Language-wise | |||
Urdu |
39 |
53 |
8 |
Punjabi |
33 |
40 |
27 |
Sindhi |
52 |
39 |
9 |
Pashto |
50 |
34 |
16 |
All others languages |
46 |
49 |
5 |
Age-wise |
|
|
|
Under 30 |
38 |
45 |
17 |
30 – 50 |
44 |
39 |
17 |
51+ |
31 |
53 |
16 |
Gender-wise |
|
|
|
Men |
43 |
43 |
14 |
Women |
37 |
42 |
20 |
On President Asif Ali Zardari |
Question: Some people believe Asif Zardari is a good leader for Pakistan, while others believe he is a bad leader. In your view, is his leadership good or bad for Pakistan?
Good |
11% |
Bad |
42% |
Neither good nor bad / Does not matter |
34% |
Don’t Know |
13% |
Total |
100% |
Voting Intention-wise |
Good |
Bad |
Neither good nor bad |
Don’t know/No response |
PPP |
11 |
42 |
34 |
13 |
PML-N |
3 |
52 |
26 |
20 |
MQM |
3 |
60 |
32 |
5 |
ANP |
7 |
43 |
44 |
6 |
JUI / MMA |
0 |
48 |
42 |
10 |
All Others Parties |
6 |
33 |
53 |
8 |
Other responses |
6 |
46 |
33 |
15 |
Language-wise | ||||
Urdu |
6 |
55 |
34 |
6 |
Punjabi |
2 |
48 |
30 |
20 |
Sindhi |
36 |
28 |
28 |
8 |
Pashto |
11 |
26 |
53 |
10 |
All others languages |
23 |
39 |
34 |
4 |
Age-wise |
|
|
|
|
Under 30 |
13 |
40 |
34 |
13 |
30 – 50 |
10 |
43 |
33 |
13 |
51+ |
8 |
45 |
39 |
8 |
Gender-wise |
|
|
|
|
Men |
13 |
44 |
33 |
10 |
Women |
9 |
40 |
35 |
16 |
On the Pakistan Peoples Party |
Question: Some people believe the PPP’s government is good for the country, while others believe it is bad. What is your view?
Good |
20% |
Bad |
38% |
Neither good nor bad / Does not matter |
30% |
Don’t Know |
12% |
Total |
100% |
Voting Intention-wise |
Good |
Bad |
Neither good nor bad |
Don’t know/No response |
PPP |
57 |
10 |
25 |
8 |
PML-N |
8 |
47 |
27 |
18 |
MQM |
4 |
60 |
31 |
6 |
ANP |
3 |
42 |
55 |
0 |
JUI / MMA |
3 |
58 |
37 |
2 |
All Others Parties |
18 |
36 |
41 |
6 |
Other responses |
11 |
45 |
30 |
15 |
Language-wise | ||||
Urdu |
12 |
51 |
29 |
8 |
Punjabi |
8 |
42 |
31 |
19 |
Sindhi |
56 |
14 |
24 |
6 |
Pashto |
19 |
34 |
43 |
4 |
All others languages |
35 |
36 |
22 |
8 |
Age-wise |
|
|
|
|
Under 30 |
21 |
38 |
29 |
12 |
30 – 50 |
20 |
36 |
31 |
13 |
51+ |
15 |
46 |
30 |
9 |
Gender-wise |
|
|
|
|
Men |
25 |
38 |
27 |
12 |
Women |
15 |
37 |
33 |
15 |
On the “best” leader for Pakistan |
Question: In your view, which of the following should run the government of Pakistan? In other words, whose rule would be best for Pakistan?
President Zardari |
9% |
Prime Minister Gilani |
13% |
Nawaz Sharif |
38% |
Military Government |
8% |
PPP & PML-N Government (jointly) |
11% |
Religious Parties |
6% |
Others Responses |
8% |
Don’t Know/No Response |
7% |
Total |
100% |
Voting Intention-wise |
President Zardari |
Prime Minister Gilani |
Nawaz Sharif |
Military rule |
PPP & PML-N (jointly) |
Religious parties |
All other responses |
Don’t know |
PPP |
27 |
27 |
9 |
6 |
13 |
4 |
4 |
9 |
PML-N |
1 |
4 |
71 |
3 |
10 |
2 |
2 |
7 |
MQM |
4 |
22 |
3 |
47 |
3 |
7 |
15 |
0 |
ANP |
1 |
32 |
5 |
16 |
11 |
2 |
34 |
0 |
JUI / MMA |
1 |
8 |
40 |
2 |
1 |
40 |
9 |
0 |
All Others Parties |
10 |
12 |
21 |
11 |
13 |
10 |
18 |
4 |
Other responses |
5 |
8 |
38 |
6 |
16 |
11 |
7 |
9 |
Language-wise | ||||||||
Urdu |
6 |
15 |
15 |
27 |
13 |
11 |
10 |
3 |
Punjabi |
4 |
7 |
60 |
3 |
8 |
2 |
2 |
14 |
Sindhi |
31 |
15 |
10 |
6 |
23 |
3 |
12 |
1 |
Pashto |
11 |
21 |
26 |
15 |
9 |
9 |
8 |
1 |
All others languages |
10 |
21 |
30 |
4 |
11 |
12 |
12 |
0 |
Age-wise |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Under 30 |
10 |
12 |
40 |
8 |
10 |
6 |
8 |
5 |
30 – 50 |
9 |
13 |
38 |
9 |
12 |
6 |
6 |
8 |
51+ |
9 |
21 |
31 |
10 |
6 |
7 |
10 |
5 |
Gender-wise |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Men |
12 |
13 |
38 |
7 |
11 |
7 |
7 |
6 |
Women |
6 |
14 |
39 |
11 |
11 |
5 |
7 |
7 |
On the threat from the Taliban vs the USA and India |
Question: Some people believe that the (Pakistani) Taliban are the greatest threat to the country, some believe India is the greatest threat, whereas some believe US is the greatest threat. Who do you think is the greatest threat for Pakistan?
(Pakistani) Taliban |
11% |
India |
18% |
US |
59% |
Don’t Know |
12% |
Total |
100% |
Voting Intention-wise |
(Pakistani) Taliban |
India |
US |
Don’t know/No response |
PPP |
15 |
20 |
61 |
5 |
PML-N |
9 |
16 |
56 |
19 |
MQM |
12 |
26 |
59 |
3 |
ANP |
6 |
26 |
68 |
1 |
JUI / MMA |
1 |
19 |
64 |
16 |
All Others Parties |
8 |
20 |
60 |
12 |
Other responses |
16 |
16 |
59 |
9 |
Language-wise | ||||
Urdu |
12 |
20 |
62 |
6 |
Punjabi |
10 |
21 |
51 |
19 |
Sindhi |
30 |
3 |
64 |
2 |
Pashto |
9 |
23 |
52 |
15 |
All others languages |
4 |
18 |
78 |
1 |
Age-wise |
|
|
|
|
Under 30 |
10 |
19 |
60 |
12 |
30 – 50 |
12 |
19 |
56 |
13 |
51+ |
11 |
13 |
72 |
4 |
Gender-wise |
|
|
|
|
Men |
13 |
21 |
57 |
10 |
Women |
9 |
16 |
61 |
14 |