PTI ahead of PPP, PML-N in GB polls: surveys

KARACHI: Two surveys conducted by Gallup Pakistan and Pulse Consultant have shown that the upcoming elections in Gilgit-Baltistan will be very closely contested between the PTI and PPP. However, both surveys put PTI ahead of the PPP, while the PML-N has been placed at the third position.

The surveys show that PM Imran Khan is the most popular leader in GB followed by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Nawaz Sharif. Around 30 percent of voters believe elections will be transparent and free of rigging.

The respondents were asked which political party they would vote for on 15th Nov (the Election Day). In response, 27 percent of Gallup respondents said theywould vote for PTI, 24 percent said PPP, and 14 percent said PML-N.

However, 35 percent of Pulse Consultant respondents said they would vote for PTI, 26 percent said PPP and 14 percent said PML-N. Gallup survey shows there is a gap of only 3 percent between the PTI and PPP as the first choice of voters. In Pulse survey this gap is 9 percent. But the trend is the same – PTI is the first choice, PPP second and PML-N third.

However, much would depend on the electoral dynamics of the Election Day such as who is able to assist their voters to come out and vote for them. When asked who was their favorite leader, 42 percent of Gallup respondents named Imran Khan, 17 percent said Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and 15 percent said it was Nawaz Sharif. Only 3 percent named Maryam Nawaz as the most favourite leader.

Pulse Consultant also received almost the same answer to a similar question with 41 percent naming Imran Khan as the most popular leader, 23 percent said it was Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and 16 percent named Nawaz Sharif as the most popular leader.

The respondents were asked which political party they would vote for if national elections were to be held today (after giving GB right to vote in Pakistan wide national elections). 35 percent said they would vote for PTI, 31 percent named PPP and 14 percent said they would vote for PML-N.

The respondents were asked if the upcoming provincial election would be fair and without any rigging. As per the Pulse survey, 29 percent of voters believed the elections will be transparent, 51 percent said they could not say anything while 20 percent said they will not be transparent.

As per the Gallup survey, 31 percent said elections would be completely fair, 29 percent said they would be fair to some extent, 28 percent said they could not say anything, 7 percent said elections will be fair to some extent while 5 percent said they would not be fair at all.

Load shedding, lack of hospitals, poor education, poor infrastructure and clean drinking water were the major problems cited by respondents of Gilgit-Baltistan in the two surveys. Gallup survey shows that 66 percent of Gilgit-Baltistan locals are in favour of converting GB into a province, 28 percent were against it.