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Tuesday July 22, 2025

Majority says govt trying to target its opponents not corruption: survey

By News Desk
November 14, 2020

ISLAMABAD: At a time when the opposition alliance Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) is making demands of early elections, a survey has revealed that no major political party will be in a winning position single handedly even if mid-term elections are held immediately.

The latest country-wide survey of Institute of Public Opinion and Research (IPOR) participated by over 2,000 respondents revealed that if mid-term elections are held on the demand of PDM, no political party will be able form the government single handedly. The ballot test shows the PML-N and PTI are at neck-to-neck in their popularity with 26 percent and 25 percent, respectively, whereas, the PPP is standing at 9 percent. As far as other parties are concerned, 3 percent respondents wanted to vote for the JUI-F, 2 percent would vote for Tehreek-e-Labbaik, and 1 percent each would vote for ANP, APML, PML-Q and MQM-Pakistan. Eight percent respondents said they are still undecided and 3 percent respondents said they would decide keeping in view the performance of parties. But the sign of concern is dismay on the electoral system and politicians as 12 percent respondents said they will not cast vote at all.

A close look at the numbers tells us that although PTI has lost its popularity for 7 percentage points, but the PML-N has gained only 2 percent since the elections of 2018. The PPP’s rating is steady going down within margin of error (2.2 percent).

According to IPOR survey, majority 45 percent of the respondents said that they support opposition demand for ousting this government and immediate elections, while 31 percent said that they support present government to complete its term, but remaining 24 percent said they don’t know or have no response.

Overall, 49 percent respondents opined that PDM is fighting for civil supremacy, whereas 32 percent negate that statement and said the opposition is just trying to hide its corruption, and another 19 percent did not answer this question.

According to survey, majority of Pakistanis (53 percent) believed that the PTI govt was trying to target its opponents, while 31 percent said the government is sincere to wipe out corruption, and remaining 16 percent said they don’t know or have no response.

72 percent respondents in Sindh agreed that the PTI was targeting the political opponents, while 16 percent respondents opposed this view. In Punjab, 50 percent respondents supported this view, while 33 percent opposed. In KP, 43 percent respondents agreed, while the same proportion of respondents disagreed to the notion of targeting political opponents. In Balochistan, 35 percent respondents supported, and 40 percent respondents opposed this view.