Mush's Popularity

Society Pakistan & World Affairs
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There’s constant debate about whether Gen Musharraf is popular or not, and if he is, which he most definitely is, then is he popular and favourable or is he less or more popular than other leaders of our country as well as certain others in our region and those playing ‘key roles’ in global politics in recenbt years. Everyone has different opinions, for different reasons.

According to a recent survey by the IRI (Int’l Republican Inst);

Musharraf ahead of Benazir, Nawaz in popularity poll
http://dawn.com/2006/12/16/top1.htm

**
General Pervez Musharraf is more popular in Pakistan than Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif, according to the findings of the research wing of the US Republican Party.
**
The survey ranked Ms Bhutto and Mr Sharif second and third, respectively, in terms of popularity after President Musharraf. The survey was ordered by the International Republican Institute (IRI) of the party and conducted in September.

Dawn has obtained the survey’s broad findings which are yet to be made public and many of which would make politicians sit up. IRI officials made a PowerPoint presentation – second after the one in June – to Benazir Bhutto in Dubai last week and Nawaz Sharif in London earlier.

Their reaction to the findings is not known but the two exiled leaders can take heart that more people now want them to be allowed to return home to contest the next general election – 70 per cent against 66 per cent in June.

Pakistan People’s Party Chairperson Benazir Bhutto should be happy that she beat President Musharraf in popularity in Sindh. She may have to rearrange her cards to deal with the most popular ‘political personality’ in Pakistan, according to the survey.

The survey showed some changes in the voters’ perception of the political landscape since IRI’s earlier survey conducted in June. The survey rated the PPP ‘the most favoured party in Sindh and the NWFP’ while it comes No2 in Balochistan and No3 in Punjab.

According to the survey, MMA leads in Balochistan while the PML-Q is at the top in Punjab, followed by Mr Sharif’s PML-N. Popular “political personalities” are rated on a scale from 1 to 5. Gen Pervez Musharraf emerges at the top with 3.47 points, Benazir trailing with 3.31 points, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz 3.18 and Nawaz Sharif 3.17.

However, Ms Bhutto is far ahead of Gen Musharraf in terms of popularity in Sindh, where she has been rated at 3.91, and Gen Musharraf at 3.1.

A finding of concern to the opposition will be that 37 per cent of the respondents said that “PML-Q deserved to be re-elected”. PML-Q was found to be a shade more popular than Ms Bhutto’s PPP at the national level, their respective ratings being 3.4 and 3.3.

However, in Sindh the PPP is at the top with a rating of 3.84, while the PML-Q scored only 2.8. The PML-N occupied third place in the country and in Sindh with respective scores of 3.09 and 2.45.

To the question which party they would vote for “if the elections for National Assembly are held next week,” 27.4 per cent respondents named PML-Q and 22 per cent the PPP. But in Sindh 46 per cent of the respondents said they would vote for PPP and 14 per cent for PML-Q.

Another surprising finding was that 22 per cent of the respondents thought Shaukat Aziz would be the “best prime minister”. On that count, Ms Bhutto scored a respectable 19 per cent and Nawaz Sharif only 11 per cent. A significant 16 per cent did not know who can be the best prime minister.

In the previous survey, Ms Bhutto was at the top of the ‘best prime minister’ category. It appeared that somehow Mr Aziz improved his public standing in just three months.

Fifty-two per cent of the respondents believed that elections under a neutral caretaker government would be more transparent. Opposition parties have been saying that free and fair polls cannot be held under Gen Musharraf. But 36 per cent of the respondents disagreed with that notion.

It would also worry the opposition that 37 per cent of the people surveyed believed that the “current ruling coalition has done its job well enough to deserve re-election” with 36 per cent opposing the re-election of the regime on the basis of its performance.

The respondents were equally divided in response to the question whether things in Pakistan were moving in the ‘right direction’. As many as 44 per cent said that Pakistan was heading towards ‘wrong direction’ but 43 per cent believed that the rulers had put the country back on right track.

While 24 per cent of the people surveyed mentioned inflation and unemployment as the ‘two most important problems’ confronting people, 34 per cent believed the economic situation would improve ‘next year’ with 28 per cent expecting the same economic conditions to prevail next year.

Similarly, 26 per cent people said their personal economic condition had improved since the 2002 general election. But for 35 per cent, it remained unchanged while for another 35 per cent the economic situation worsened over the past four years.

Check out link for tables.

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Re: Mush’s Popularity

:rotfl: a ‘poll’ done by the:research wing of the **US Republican Party.
**The survey was ordered by the International Republican Institute (IRI) of the party and conducted in September

A so-called poll by the neo-cons to support their dictator, you will grasp at anything!! :rotfl:

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Re: Mush’s Popularity

This has also been noted by the reputed Economist magazine.

**Musharraf more popular than Benazir, Nawaz: Economist **

In a clear boost to Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf who wants to keep his uniform and seek a second term, a British magazine says he is more popular than former prime ministers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif who are challenging him from exile. Quoting the findings of a survey, Economist says Musharraf has ‘generally proved much better at running the country than either Nawaz Sharif or Benazir Bhutto’, who are attempting a political comeback ahead of next year’s general elections. In dealing with arch rival India too, the magazine gives full marks to Musharraf. ‘Remarkably, given a career spent fighting India, he had done more to make peace than any his predecessors,’ the report noted. The magazine praised the economic reforms introduced by Musharraf that had helped the country achieve seven percent growth despite the fact that when he took over, the economy was in a crisis. But the survey asserts that these sensible reforms have almost all only been partially or corruptly implemented. It adds that Musharraf is clinging to his job by manipulation and with the backing of the army, and that by sabotaging Pakistan’s fragile democracy to meet his own ends, he may have made the country even more dangerous’. The economy has become ‘tigerish’, it says, but notes that foreign investors are still keeping away.

‘General Musharraf inherited an economy in crisis. Shackled by sanctions and parched of capital, Pakistan had defaulted on foreign debts,’ said The Economist, adding: 'Thanks partly to continued fiscal prudence and some sensible reforms, Pakistan has notched up average growth of seven percent over the past three years, about the same as India. ‘Six years on, General Musharraf is still in charge and the economy has been transformed,’ the magazine noted. In the financial year to mid-2005, it grew by 8.6 percent, the highest in two decades, followed by a 6.6 percent rise in the financial year ended June 30, The News daily said, carrying details of the survey conducted for the magazine by James Astill. On Musharraf’s initiative to start a dialogue with India, the magazine said peace in South Asia is now more possible than in the past. ‘He then surprised many by throwing himself into peacemaking with India.’ Peace on the subcontinent is still hard to imagine, but it may be more possible than at any time since the Independence in 1947, it said. Referring to the Siachen glacier, The Economist said: ‘One big test of good intentions for both sides is the Siachen glacier in Kashmir, the world’s highest battlefield, from which they have been talking of withdrawing troops.’ It said if both Pakistan and India ‘can reach agreement on Siachen, they can probably settle a couple of smaller border disputes as well.’

As till also applauds Musharraf for the pledges that he has made to crack down on extremism and to promote ‘enlightened moderation’. Whilst Musharraf denounces extremism, he has proved reluctant to crack down hard on the killers. The survey indicates that the reason for this is two-fold. Musharraf, A still states, distinguishes between truly dangerous militia and those he thinks he can control. The other reason is that General Musharraf is afraid of the potential support that the extremist groups can muster. But some liberal progress may emerge from General Musharraf’s rule. **He has liberated the media, meaning that Pakistanis now have more access to information about the world outside Pakistan. TV viewers can increasingly watch foreign channels, including those from India, the magazine notes. **

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Mush was relatively 'popular' years ago when people had hopes he would be honest and effective. Even I had hope he would have been good for Pakistan. But after 8 years of broken lies and the same corrupt people in govt, people know he is no better

Even if I am wrong, and he is so popular, why doesn't he have a fair and transparent election against BB and NS? im sure many will come with excuses, but the reason is obvious, and puts an end to any so called 'polls'

parts of the article u want us to ignore:

But the survey asserts that these sensible reforms have almost all only been partially or corruptly implemented. It adds that Musharraf is clinging to his job by manipulation and with the backing of the army, and that by sabotaging Pakistan's fragile democracy to meet his own ends, he may have made the country even more dangerous'. The economy has become 'tigerish', it says, but notes that foreign investors are still keeping away.

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http://dawn.com/2006/12/17/top4.htm
PPP, PML-N reject IRI report

:hoonh:
What else was expected of them…?
The report would have been oh so holy if either of BB or Mian had surpassed Mush. I would vote for an alien but never one of these or their partyfolks. If I vote or am able to that is.

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[quote]
But the survey asserts that these sensible reforms have almost all only been partially or corruptly implemented. It adds that Musharraf is clinging to his job by manipulation and with the backing of the army, and that by sabotaging Pakistan's fragile democracy to meet his own ends, he may have made the country even more dangerous'. The economy has become 'tigerish', it says, but notes that foreign investors are still keeping away.
[/quote]

TRD,
Thing is, reforms are one thing, the man's popularity another, though they are connected to a certain extent, but the fact remains, I and countless Pakistanis would vote for him or say "Aye" to him any given day without a blink of an eye when compared with those who never initiated any reforms, let alone complete them, or those who clinged on to their jobs by manipulating everything, from army generals, the "ayeen" and the fragile deomcracy to literally make their vast ends meet. That made the country close to a thritythird world country and the economy slothish while foreign investors shunned the thouht of coming over.
Btw, the last highlighted line missed out one word for some reason; it should be:
*"...notes that **some **foreign investors are still keeping away". *
Who can deny the significant rise in foreign investment of varying scale in recent years!?

Whatever said or done, many Pakistanis prefer the man Musharraf, General or not, President or not, compared to any feudals, waderas, industrialists, who were born with a silver spoon or master the art of acquiring a silver spoon by snatching even a wooden one from the commoners. No matter what figures say or dont say, many would prefer a Pakistani soldier who once went to war for Pakistan's honour and was ready to lay his life, was injured and decorated, compared to the alternate breed. He is more fellow-Pakistani and more *common *for the *common Pakistani fellows *any given day.

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HZ- that's fine, but if he is so popular, why doesn't he shed his uniform(as he said he would) and run in free and fair elections?

The answer is simply because he is not popular enough to win.

HAPPY UAE 38TH NATIONAL DAY!!!
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Re: Mush’s Popularity

In fact, they only reject the parts that say anything good about President-General Musharraf, not other bits which they like themselves. :slight_smile:

“The PPPP neither rejects nor accepts the IRI survey,” - PPPP Secretary General Raja Pervaiz Ashraf](http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\12\18\story_18-12-2006_pg7_4)

Like the Economist survey, the IRI findings seemed to have toubled the opposition enough to call press conferences on it to comment on it.

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[QUOTE]
The answer is simply because he is not popular enough to win.
[/QUOTE]

No, actually because he's not powerful enough to influence our 70% illeterate population to stir their vote; unfortunately the masses are still more influenced, over powered or over awed by the tehsil wadera, sardar or chowdry, poverty, trends of low education coming along for decades, intimidation throiugh various means and power of the local thanedar and glitter of money.

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:)

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Like, I said, I knew excuse's would come up.

These same people you put down are the same one's Mush claimed voted for him by over 90% in his 'referendum'....yet these same people are not fit to vote in free election?

You say these masses are brainwashed, yet the 'poll' you are using says the masses support him....in your search for excuses, you have contradicted yourself

A free and fair election is one 'poll' that would easily show his 'popularity', but you know as well as i do without the Army guns, nobody would put him in office.

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lol this thread is like watching someone throw salt at a worm, guys please go easy on him please, he will bring up that TI link again :hehe:

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Funny enough. Survey by ambiguous and unknown IRI.

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:D

On post # 11 TRD,

There's no contradiction, the equation is simple, yes Mush manipulates the political sharks to stay afloat in the dark waters, yes he admitted the referrendum went wrong, and yes we know he may not individually win against BB or Mian, because of the reasons mentioned in post # 9, but whats also true is that polls will not be 'rigged' if thats what you want to state; Mush won through his 'manipulation' and 'Q-league brainchild' through actual votes, he will win again hopefully, through similar tactics.
And either way, if he manipulates, who willingly gets manipulated? every acronym alphabetically from from A-Z, most recently we have examples of MMA mullahs; fazl and qazi both refuse to resign now, PPP; all are willing to contest polls under Mush, but lo and behold! it is the entire brigade that so ferociously coined the charter of democracy! But koi bhi kursi is beter than democracy you see!

And let's not talk of what weight polls hold; if Mush supporters win PMLN and PPP will call it a hoax and declare rigging, if PPP wins PML will call it rigging, and vice versa, you can make all other cominations.

And like Info Minister Durrani said on Hamid Mir's show last night; foregin reports no matter how credible or uncredible are very serious when they declare corruption, but are labelled 'funny' etc when they state smthng positive abt the current govt.

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Mushy is the MAN!!
The guy is better then all the other lollossss!!!!
:D

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I won't agree that Mushy is better than past "leaders". How many promises has he made and broken about restoring power to people?

Corruption - there is as much as there was before. It is simply controlled within a smaller group now, usin military discipline

Press - while there is surprising freedom for a military dictatorship, it certainly is less than what it was in prior regimes

Religious extremes - Quite frankly, it has gotten much worse than before. What more to say!

Ethnic / regional harmony - We have pretty much lost control and governance of and have actually acknowledged that by ceding agreements! it is unheard of that a govt will actually sign an agreement that they won't interfere in effect with ethnic vigilante

Economy - growth rates are steady and much better. My nagging doubt is can we trust the numbers released by this government? (this is the problem with authoritarian forms of govt - you can never be sure of anything published - they don't have to declare what they don't want to, any changes in definitions etc)

Foreign Relations - Lost Afganistan partnership; the US and China thingees are more ambigous as ever (they both pay lip service but go and sign serious treaties with India);

I can go on but don't want to seem too negative because I can also offer no short term alternatives!

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popularity does not always mean that the popular person is better in all things than others but is considerd better from an overall perspective.

as far as authoritarian regimes, sadly our 'leaders' who came into power via voting became czars and ran authoritarian regimes.. people have shortterm memories and forget what it was like for someone to challenge benazir..

corruption- again majority of pakistanis believe that there is less corruption, this was thru a poll in Pakistan by and independent global organization.

press- there is no way that there was more press freedom in nawaz, benazir and zias's times.

religious extremism- has become a much worse global problem, so Pakistan is not alone in this. This regime is dealing with issues due to actions of previous regims churning out militants for war fodder against soviets and kashmir and what nots

ethnic/regional harmony- lets not forget some regimes actually lost a whole half of the country. as far as dealings with tribals.. it was always the same way, even massive drug operations did not touch FATA.

Economy- there are independent oorganizations like IMF,conomist, world bank and asian bank that keep an eye on those numbers and can call BS if and when they see it.

Foriegn Relationships- it was a needed move to 'lose' afghanistan partnership. No need to get our asses kicked for siding with rabid mullahs who could not chill. The US and Chins things may be as ambiguous, but the visit of the leaders of both countries and a number of advances in different fields are promising, as long as ppl dont think their is some sort of "BFF" thing going on and its a matter of interests of everyone involved.

You cant offer short term solutions because there are no real short term solutions, and right thigs are being done in general for long term solutions.

To the best of my knowledge we have no had a single regime in pakistan's histry that did everything that was required, how can the entrenched ills of a hal a century be reversed immediately.

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Your counterpoints are well taken. But on the long term fixes discussion, I am curious. Long term requires institutional stability, priority investment in the 'correct' avenues and most imortantly build-up of a leadership & governance structure that can sustain the program of work.

You tell me if you think there is progress in these areas?

That's why I am disgruntled. There are a number good 'point' things being made - these may server small temporary motives (for eg. a year to year growth or debt service comparison) but the people are clapping mistaking 24 months to be long term planning. And what will happen in 24 months? Who will take over - make that, who all will take over? What do we know about sustainability?

Above is not to slight anybody - just worrisome things that need to be stated

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I think there is a lot wrong in Pakistan that needs to be fixed, and that this or any govt neeeds to do a whole lot.

There are some grassroots type initiatives which I applaud, I think that merre window dressing type solutions will not work and some things

I do however feel that the external situations as well as the mitiancy rise has pushed us in several different directions at the sam time so we may be spread thin, in what the country needs to do.

I am extremely disappointed in this regime's inability to take some really cioncrete steps in teh area of curbing political corruption, it would be highly unpopular, but ban all these people and their direct family from contestign elections etc. same goes for the bureaucrats..

The challenge is that we dont seem to have meaningful discussions about issues, when the threads and discussion goes on a bashing spree the entire spirit of a real discussion is gone.

My summary view is, is the govt doing the right stuff, yes, is it significantly better than previous govts-yes, does it need to do more- hell yes, is it doing everything that is needed- hell no, is it sincere- big yes.

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The IRI is not unknown or ambiguous - google it and you will see. It is only repeating what the “Economist” was saying a few months ago.

http://www.paklinks.com/gs/showpost.php?p=4643702&postcount=3

American public views Pakistan poorly