Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf party's popularity has gone down by a massive 22 per cent among likely voters, according to a survey. The survey, conducted by the International Republican Institute, has shown that the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz Sharif group) has witnessed an increase of 3.7 per cent in its popularity.
Notwithstanding the huge monetary assistance that the United States is planning for Pakistan to help the troubled nation fight extremism and reduce anti-America sentiments, a majority of Pakistanis are still against the US being a partner in Islamabad's fight against terrorism.
An overwhelming majority of Pakistanis believe their country is moving in the wrong direction and 59 per cent would rather have Pakistan Muslim League-N chief Nawaz Sharif as president instead of Asif Ali Zardari, a survey has said. Eighty-eight per cent of the respondents in the poll conducted by United States-based International Republican Institute said Pakistan is moving in the wrong direction, while 73 per cent said the economic situation had worsened in the past year.
About 67 per cent of Pakistanis want Musharraf out of power and 56 per cent said the army, which has ruled Pakistan for long periods since it won independence 60 years ago, should have no role in the government, said the poll by the Washington-based International Republican Institute that was released on Thursday.