A questionable poll
By: Shafiq Solangi
The Nation: June 26, 2011
The Pew Research Center for people and press is an American
research organization; Andrew Kohut is the current President of this
organization. Few days back this center released a survey report that revealed
that “Pakistan continues with conditions in their country, roughly nine-in-ten
(92%) are dissatisfied with the country’s direction”. This survey was conducted
in April and during May 8 to 15, exactly after six days of Abbottabad operation
by US forces in which Osama Bin laden was killed. During these days most of the
people were annoyed from the security forces and the government because of US operation
and Osama’s presence in Pakistan. So it was obvious that the poll would get
‘No” to a question like, “Are you satisfied with present conditions?”
Poll
questionnaire was also based on “two exceptions” yes or no. Had Pew Research
Center conducted such survey in US soon after 9/11, it would have got even
worst result than this. 100% of US population would have shown dissatisfaction
against their government. Meanwhile, only 1251 and 1,970 Pakistanis
participated in this poll, which is very small ratio of the total population.
In fact it is small enough to generalize such an important poll and reflect the
feeling of the entire Pakistani public. Such poll research results do not truly
reflect the thinking of the public. Pakistan is a country with 180 million of
population; PRC should have not involved such a small number of people as it is
responsible research organization.
Secondly, people of the Pakistan are facing various problems, and
there are different conditions in different provinces like Khyber Pakhtookhwa
and Balochistan where people are facing menace of terrorism and poverty.
Whereas a large number of the population in Sindh and Punjab still reeling from
the affects of the floods of last year. Definitely, one cannot expect
satisfaction and peace of mind from those who are being attacked by drones and
suicide bombings each day. PRC should have realized that we are fighting war
against extremism as a frontline state.
PRC has also revealed that popularity graph of President Asif Ali
Zardari was decreased to 11% which was 20% last year. People cannot show
dissatisfaction to a person who has delivered his power to the parliament, who
has empowered a common person with constitutional reforms. The way PRC’s poll
has been addressed and propagated is questionable and it does not seem to be
transparent pool. PRC might have selected a portion or a segment of population
which may not necessarily be the true representative of our society. In such
surveys the questionnaire are framed in way to achieve desired results. The
methodology and the results of this poll can be challenged.
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