WASHINGTON - Only 11% of Pakistanis have a favourable view of President Asif Ali Zardari, down from 20% last year, as Imran Khan emerges the most popular leader in Pakistan, according to a new study released Tuesday.
Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani receives a positive rating from 37% – a significant drop from 59% in 2010, the findings of Pew Research Center show, saying Pakistanis continue to be highly dissatisfied with conditions in their country, 0pposition leader Nawaz Sharif fares better: 63% express a positive opinion of the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) leader, down from a year ago when 71% held this view, the study says.
The most popular leader tested is former cricket star Imran Khan, according to the study. Nearly seven-in-ten (68%) have a favourable view of the cricketer turned politician, up from 52% in 2010.
On balance, Pakistanis continue to view Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry positively, although his ratings have fallen somewhat since last year (51% favourable in 2011; 61% in 2010).
Even though the Pakistani military has received some criticism since the US raid that killed Osama bin Laden, the study says it remains overwhelmingly popular: 79% say it is having a good influence on the country. Ratings for military chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani have remained on balance positive – 52% give him a favourable and 21% an unfavourable rating. This represents a slight change from the April poll conducted prior to bin Laden’s death, when 57% rated him favourably and 18% unfavourably.
Roughly nine-in-ten (92%) are dissatisfied with the country’s direction, according to the study. Almost as many (85%) say the economic situation in Pakistan is bad. And optimism is scarce – 60% think the economy will worsen in the next 12 months; only 13% believe it will improve. (The Nation)
