Majority of Pakistanis satisfied with Army: IRI

ISLAMABAD (NNI) - Pakistan Army has grabbed top slot for people support while the National Assembly got second in a row with respect to performances of different government institutions during a survey conducted by International Republican Institute (IRI) in different parts of the country. The support for Army has increased after Malakand operation as 89 per cent people thinks that the armed forces are doing well while the graph of Police Department is declining continuously as compared with previous survey which stands on 34 per cent. International Republican Institute (IRI), a US institute that maps the people opinions about their government performances in different fields, conducted the survey. In the survey, IRI interviewed 4,900 people across the country, 66 per cent from rural areas and 34 per cent from cities while Fata, Chitral and Kohistan were not included. About the National Assembly, 68 per cent people expressed their satisfactions with its performance, which was 72 per cent in the previous poll. 50 per cent people are backing the performance of the incumbent government with 55 per cent support the opposition. About the performance of judiciary, 69 per cent (68 in last poll) people expressed their satisfaction. According to above statistics, Pak Army remained at the top, National Assembly grabbed second position while the government and police convinced lesser people. To a question, who has the ability to address the problems face by the country, 51 per cent people supported Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif; President Asif Ali Zardari 13 percent; Imran Khan 8 per cent; Makhdoom Amin Fahim and Pervez Musharraf 3 per cent; PM Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, Bilawal Bhutto and Altaf Hussain 2 per cent; and Qazi Hussain Ahmad, Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Asfandyar Wali got only one per cent vote. Four per cent people did not replied while 2 per cent said no one was capable of resolving the countrys problems. About the economic conditions of the common people, 72 per cent said their economic conditions had worsened further against 63 per cent in the previous survey while 13 people claimed some improvement. 14 per cent of the respondents said the recent price hike did not harm their economic conditions. 69 per cent people termed the current year as insecure while 28 per cent people claimed it to be more secure than last year. 40 per cent people think that inflation was the main problem of the country while 20 per cent termed unemployment as the biggest challenge. For 13 per cent of the respondents, terrorism is the main trouble while 11 per cent point to water and power, 8 per cent poverty, 3 percent law and order situation while only one per cent described education as the main problem faced by Pakistan.

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