Mush's popularity plunges to its lowest level
Islamabad,
Oct
12:
Public
support
for
Pakistan
President
Pervez
Musharraf"s
has
plunged
to
its
lowest
since
he
became
the
president,
according
to
the
International
Republican
Institute
(IRI)
poll
results.
Musharraf"s popularity has come down to 21 percent in 2007 from 63 percent in September 2006, the poll results revealed. In the best Pakistani leader category, Musharraf has fallen behind former premiers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif, says the IRI"s fifth poll conducted between August 29 and September 13.
“The percentage of voters saying Musharraf should resign from the army has increased to 70 percent," the poll said. In June 2007, Musharraf won 34 percent approval for his seven-point development agenda, but the situation has changed now with 76 percent saying that he should doff his uniform.
According to poll, 76 percent of the respondents said that Musharraf has failed to stabilise the country. Sharif, who was deported to Jeddah after his homecoming last month, outshone Benazir and Musharraf in the best leader category with 36 percent of respondents voting for him.
Benazir got 28 percent of the votes in the best leader category. The poll showed Nawaz"s rating at 53 percent, three points up from the June 2007 poll, the Daily Times reported.
The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz"s (PML-N) popularity has also increased to 36 percent and the Pakistan People"s Party-Parliamentarians" (PPP-P) has slipped down to 28 percent. The Pakistan Muslim League- Quaid-e-Azam (PML-Q) popularity was only 16 percent.
Around 55 percent of voters supported the formation of the All Parties Democratic Movement (APDM). Around 73 percent said that the ruling coalition had done no good, while 19 percent favoured their comeback.
The results showed that the media (with 80 percent votes) has become the most popular institution followed by the judiciary (77 percent) and military.
ANI>