Poll Shows Pakistanis Disapprove of al Qaeda, Taliban and the United States
By Riaz Haq
CA
Pew polls conducted in 2010 and 2011 show that overwhelming majority of Pakistanis take a dim view of the United States, Taliban and Al Qaeda.
According to the latest poll, only 12% express a positive view of the US and just 8% have confidence in President Barack Obama to do the right thing in world affairs. Most Pakistanis see the US as a potential military threat, and oppose American-led anti-terrorism efforts. The killing of bin Laden has had little effect on the results.
Pew conducted the survey in Pakistan as part of its Global Attitudes Project in April, and undertook a second poll right after the May 2 raid on Bin Laden’s compound in the city of Abbottabad. Pakistanis’ views of Bin Laden had become increasingly negative in recent years. In a 2005 Pew poll, 51 percent said they had confidence that Bin Laden would do the right thing in world affairs; in April only 21 percent had reposed such trust.
Looking ahead, 51 percent of the respondents in the latest survey expect relations to deteriorate between the countries as a result of the American military action, only 4 percent anticipate better relations and 16 percent say there would be no change. And after the death of Bin Laden, Pakistanis took a more pessimistic view of relations between their country and the United States. In a prior survey in April, Pakistanis were divided: 35 percent said relations had improved in recent years and 35 percent disagreed. After the Abbottabad raid, 29 percent said relations with the United States had improved and 44 percent had the opposite view.
Pakistanis continue to reject suicide attacks against civilians as a means to defend Islam. Fully 85% of Muslims in Pakistan say this kind of violence is never justified; another 3% says it is rarely justified and just 5% say it is sometimes or often justified.
Pakistanis continue to view their traditional rival India negatively. Three-in-four express an unfavorable opinion of India, up from 50% five years ago.
When asked what is the biggest threat to their country - India, the Taliban, or al Qaeda,- a majority of Pakistanis (57%) say India.
Still, roughly seven-in-ten say it is important to improve relations with India, believe increased trade with their neighbor would be a good thing, and support talks to reduce tensions between the two countries.
Similarly, Indians express negative opinions of Pakistan; 65% have an unfavorable view of their traditional rival and more name Pakistan as India’s biggest threat (45%), then name Lashkar-e-Taiba (19%) or Naxalites (16%). Yet, like Pakistanis, Indians would like to see improved relations between the two countries and most support increased trade between India and Pakistan.
At the heart of tensions between India and Pakistan lies the Kashmir dispute. Nearly three-fourths (73%) of Pakistanis consider the Kashmir dispute a very big problem. Majorities in both countries think it is important to find a solution to the Kashmir issue, but Pakistanis are more likely than Indians to give this issue high salience (80% vs. 66% very important). Majority of Pakistanis across age, education and ethnic groups agree that resolving this issue is very important.
Even though the Pakistani military has come under sharp criticism since the US raid that killed bin Laden, 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 positive – 52% give him a favorable and 21% an unfavorable rating. This represents a slight change from the April poll conducted prior to bin Laden’s death, when 57% rated him favorably and 18% unfavorably.
Aside from confirming the ongoing India-Pakistan rivalry, the Pew survey results essentially reinforce the fact that the vast majority of Pakistanis are tired of mounting violence and wish to be left alone by the United States, Taliban and al Qaeda.
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