Pakistanis have negative views of govt: poll

WASHINGTON - The people of Pakistan have given their national government the lowest approval ratings in a decade, according to a study released on Thursday, the eve of the countrys Independence Day.
Pakistanis see crime and terrorism as major problems and many of them see the country struggling with corruption and a deteriorating economy, The Pew Research Center study found.
Concern is growing about extremism. The study found 69 per cent of Pakistanis questioned said they are concerned extremists could take control of the country and 70 per cent hold negative views of the Taliban, up from 33 per cent in 2008.
The worry about extremism has not translated into an improved view of the United States, the study found. Only 22 per cent of the Pakistanis asked believe the United States takes Pakistani interest into account in foreign policy decisions and the majority said they believe the United States favours India.
The face-to-face survey of about 1,200 adults, largely in urban areas, took place in late May and early June, about a month after the Pakistani army began a major offensive against entrenched Taliban forces in the Swat Valley region. The military last month declared victory in the operation, although the return of more than two million people displaced by the fighting has been slowed because of ongoing security concerns.
Military operations have also produced at least a temporary lull in suicide bombings that swept Pakistan this year. More than 87 per cent said such attacks are never justified, the highest percentage in the poll.
Public support for the Pakistani military remains high, with 77 per cent saying it is having a good influence on their country. But President Asif Ali Zardari has dropped sharply in popularity, with 32 per cent saying they had a favourable view of him, down from 64 per cent in a similar survey last year. By contrast, 67 per cent said they approved of Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, and 79 per cent had a favourable view of the Pakistan Muslim League-N Quaid, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif.
India remains a prime concern for most Pakistanis, with 88 per cent saying they viewed it as a threat, compared with 73 per cent for the Taliban and 61 per cent for Al-Qaeda.
No margin of error was given for the survey. It was part of the Pew Global Attitudes Survey based on personal interviews conducted with 1,254 adults in Pakistan between May 22 and June 9.
Most of the interviews were conducted in urban areas, Pew said.