LAHORE - The International Republican Institute (IRI) has come up with a new survey, comprising answers to some 37 questions on different issues concerning Pakistan. The respondents of different standings belonged to 70 districts. An analysis of the conclusions reported in Thursday’s newspapers shows that some responses are inconsistent. And if they are taken to be right, then the state of mind of the respondents needs to be examined.
It has been reported that 81 per cent of the people surveyed are of the opinion that Pakistan is heading in the wrong direction. Then 49 per cent say that their personal economic situation would get worse next year. (Only seventeen per cent of the respondents said the country is going in the right direction and 22 per cent each said the economic situation would remain the same or improve).
If 81 per cent, or four of the five persons surveyed, think the country is going in the wrong direction, it amounts to questioning the policies being followed by the rulers.
But still 58 per cent of those surveyed say the PML-N government’s performance is “good” or “very good”. (Ten per cent say very good and 48 per cent say it’s good). The question is if the country is going in the wrong direction, and half of those surveyed also believe that their personal economic situation would get worse next year, then who are those gentlemen for whom the performance of the government is “very good” or “good”.
Ostensibly, either the views expressed about the country’s direction are exaggerated or the government’s popularity figures, as claimed in the survey, are questionable.
Answering a question, only 22 per cent of the respondents said that their personal economic situation will improve next year. (Although there is no other basis for such optimism, maybe these people are close to the rulers or are those who plan to buy the important state institutions the government plans to privatise during the next few months).
At a time when many industrialists have already shifted their factories abroad and the flight of capital is also going on unabated because of the terrorist activities, only 10 per cent of the respondents think terrorism is the most serious problem. Is it believable?
It’s no secret that the situation in the three smaller provinces is very bad, and those leaving their homes even to attend their offices or other workplaces are not sure to rejoin their families at the end of the day. They fear to be killed by a stray or a targeted bullet. In these circumstances if terrorism is a serious problem only for 10 per cent people, it’s a gross underestimation. These figures don’t hold good even for Punjab, which is relatively peaceful compared to other federating units.
Inflation, according to this survey, has been cited as number one problem by only 21 per cent, although the number of people living below the poverty line is more than 40 per cent - and is going up by the day. The willingness of some seven million poor families to accept just one thousand rupees per month (or Rs 33 per day, which can buy only two cups of tea) from the BISP shows that inflation is more serious a people than shown in the survey.
Another questionable conclusion of the survey is that only 19 per cent want the inflation problem addressed during the next two years. Those wanting unemployment and terrorism addressed during the same period are 12 per cent and 8 per cent, respectively.
The on-ground situation is sufficient to belie these statistics.
The questions dealing with importance of the local government and LG elections got replies which are not compatible and are difficult to digest.
For example, 36 per cent of those surveyed said the local government elections provide solution to local issues and another 15 per cent are of the opinion that they help solve national issues. But when they were asked if the local elections should be held “next year”, 64 per cent replied in positive. Isn’t really very strange?
Everyone knows that the local government institutions have been non-existent for several years and the elections should have been held more than five years ago. If they have not been held despite the utility of the LG institutions, logically speaking the respondents were expected to have demanded immediate polls. But if they think they should be held next year, then their response contradicts the very role they say the LB institutions play in solving local or national problems.
At a time when the Supreme Court of Pakistan is pressuring the provincial governments to hold local government elections before the end of the year, only the “surveyors” can answer why they asked the respondents whether the elections should be held next year.
This question seems to be motivated, and the timing of the release of the survey makes the entire exercise suspicious. Is it just a coincidence that on the very day the survey was published the National Assembly passed a resolution that free and fair LB polls are “not” possible according to the schedule given by three provincial governments?