Adil Najam
Back on August 18, 2008 – right before Gen. Pervez Musharraf announced his resignation – we conducted an ATP Poll asking our readers what Pakistan would look like after Musharraf. Now, two months after the event, it seems like a good time to repeat the question. So, here is our new ATP Poll. Do tell us what you think? We have tried to match the wording of the questions to those asked last time so that one can have better comparison.
The results of our previous poll on the subject, were interesting, but not surprising.
Partisans on each side dominated the discussion, and the numbers (these are respresentative of no greater truth than the readership of this blog and the passions of those on any side). Around a third of the respondents (34 percent) felt that things would generally become better; somewhat more (42 percent) felt things would generally get worse; some 22 percent felt that only faces will change and no other real change would materialize.
So, now that we have two months under our belt, what can we say? Or, and maybe, it is still too early to say anything? If so, we can always do this again in a few months and see how and if opinions change.
Dont forget all the great things Musharaf did, free media. It was under him people in Pakistan was allowed to criticize. We all know Mr 10% Ghadari and Mian Badmash(Nawaz) Sharif, they just want to fill their pockets.
Mushraf did make mistakes such as military actions against own peopel but even PPP cant stop these actions because USA wants us to carry them.
Pakistan is as always a corrupt state, but it is not just our leaders fault but much as ours own. Zardari is not forsing “everyday peoples” to bribe.(exsample police, judges, trollyguys at the airport and so on)
This time we has got a leader like our self.
Nothing will change until we dont change.
The biggest change really is that we now know what a terrible mess he has left the country is.
Not sure if the news guys are capable of cleaning it up
This question needs to be asked after 2 years.
Hang Musharraf
I think it is too early to say. I am no fan of Musharraf nor of the Zardari boys, but honest analysis says that things have not changed much yet, for better or worse. The legacy of the last many years was increased terrorism, extremism, and a bad economy. The current guys inherited it so cannot be blamed fully for it. But they have also not done anything much to clean it up. On the other hand, despite everyone’s fears, no great scandals of corruption have also errupted yet from Zardari.
But lets wait and see, its still early.
But a good poll question to think about.