Adil Najam
Our second blog poll seems to have thrown up some interesting, but also confusing, results.
Depending on how you cut the pie, you can make the argument that:
(a) a clear majority of ATP readers want Gen. Musharraf to give up both or one of his twin offices (Army Chief and President) before the 2007 elections,
and at the same time
(b) a clear (but differently configured) majority wants him to play some role – although a more constrained role – in Pakistan’s politics.
(Click image for larger picture)
A total of 114 ATP visitors cast their votes in the poll which was launched very early on Friday and closed very late on Monday. While this is obviously NOT a scientific survey, the results are rather intriguing, even if not representative.
The ATP Poll gave readers five options in response to the question:
The option that got the most votes (41 votes; 36%) calls on Gen. Musharraf to retire at the end of 2006 and fully hand over both offices to his successors. While this was not an absolute majority, it is well over a third of all the votes cast in the poll. By comparison, only 19 of the 114 respondents (16.7%) preferred the option of Gen. Musharraf continuing in both offices simultaneously.
Just over a quarter of the ATP respondents (30 votes; 26.3%) want Gen. Musharraf to continue in only one of the two offices. There seems relatively little enthusiasm for passing the decision on whetehr he shoudl keep both offices or not to the next Assembly (15 votes, 13.2%) or of holding a national referendum (9 votes, 7.9%).
Of course, this is simply a ‘pulse of the blog’ poll and is NOT a scientific or representative survey. However, the results are interesting nonetheless; at least to the extent that they say something about the cohort that is likely to visit a blog such as ATP and vote in such a poll (i.e., educated, mobile, technically savvy, and globally connected Pakistanis).
While one must caution against over-analyzing these results, at least three points are worth noting; if only to nudge a discussion:
- Given that the technocratic classes tend to support (and be highly represented in) military governments in Pakistan including this one, it is noteworthy that ATP’s (technocratic?) readership chose the ‘retirement option’ (36%) for Gen. Musharraf as often as it did.
- There seems to be a sense that Gen. Musharraf should NOT continue with twin-offices into the future. Only one-sixth of the respondents (16.7%) chose this option. While those who opted for a referendum option or having the next Assembly decide (total 21.2%) may be seen as sitting on the fence on this question, those calling for his retiring from at least one office (and possibly both) were in a clear majority (total 62.3%).
- Not withstanding the above, and in fairness, it should also be noted that a majority of the respondents do, in fact, see (want?) some continued role for Gen. Musharraf — if not in both offices, then in at least one. This finding does not contradict the earlier finding; it only adds nuance (and possibly confusion).
So, where does all of this leave us? Maybe I was onto something when I had responded to a questioner in Washington DC by suggesting that public opinion amongst Pakistanis remains divided and uncertain on the future of Gen. Musharraf.
Maybe what these numbers suggest is that those responding to our poll see a continued role for Gen. Musharraf in Pakistan politics; but they would like to see him having less of a role than he has had in the past (also see earlier ATP post on democracy in Pakistan).
What do you think?
[quote post=”264″]. He has s far brought a lot of good to the country[/quote]
Like?
Let’s be really honest here, most of the people that are crying for this so called “Freedom” are nothing but a bunch of corrupt individuals. Most of them are up to no good and refuse to let go of the feudal system. How can you have democracy in the northern areas where the feudal system still exists?
One of the best quotes I have ever heard is that when Pakistan gained its independence only the criminals gained azadi. And its true otherwise Pakistan wouldn’t be so backwards as it is today.
What I would like to know, really I would is why does everyone hate Musharraf? There is a passionate hate by most members on ATP. He has s far brought a lot of good to the country more so than any other selfish leaders have done so in the past after Ayub.
I am a overseas Pakistani, I don’t think Musharraf has done anything that a democratic leader would not have done from an ecomomic point of you. And the MUllah party is Musharraf’s B team, we all know that. Pak Army does not want true democracy in Pakistan.
Faisal,
Topiwal rora, pakhair!
Ma ta khu da pata na wa che Topai ke hum da Musharraf seb supportraan di.
MQ
New York
P.S: ATP administrator: Please don’t worry, I haven’t said anything in the above lines that is against the ATP policy.
Well the best thing to do is to let him run for one mroe term. People in south asian countries such as Afghanistan Pakistan, India and Bangladesh have no idea of who to choose for the job. i think we should learn from the past the present and step in the future. he have done alot for Pakistan, and it has been appreciated all over the world. I wished we had one thing in our constitution “state should not be run by religion.” nothing against religion it just make it more complicated as politics is already a mess. People want him off the duty and out off the office just so they can take it easy again, sorry for this comment but we as pakistanis almost lost our identity in SHarif’s and Bhuto presidency. i strongly stand to support him and that what all youngsters should do if they want a better future. Hi taxes and fuel prices is not because of him, its because of the corruption and the loans we took and offcourse thanx to OPEC; but more jobs, more schools, more opportunities, more high salaries are because of his hard work and efforts, stepping him off the presidency is going back to stoneage. at least the development in our country should open people eyes.
staso yaoo topiwal ror
faisal