Q: Most pressing problem facing Pak.
Option: Kashmir. Per cent who said yes: 4

Sample this: a majority of Pakistanis place economic problems as the most important issue facing that nation. And just four per cent of urban Pakistanis considers the Kashmir issue as a pressing problem for Pakistan. These are some of the results of a peek into the mind of Pakistanis, gleaned from a survey published in the Karachi-based monthly magazine Herald’s February issue, titled ‘Musharraf’s New Pakistan: What People Think’. The sampling was carried out on January 27 and 28 with 1,239 respondents (605 men: 634 women) in the cities of Karachi, Multan, Quetta, Lahore, Larkana Rawalpindi/Islamabad and Peshawar. ‘‘What is truly interesting, and quite expected, is that for a majority of Pakistanis, economic issues take precedence over everything else... Concern regarding employment and inflation is the highest in the least privileged group... Despite the fact that the conflict in Kashmir has brought Pakistan and India to the brink of a potentially devastating war, only four per cent of urban Pakistanis considers it a pressing problem,’’ says an editorial note on the study .

Were Pakistan’s national security interests served by supporting jihadi groups in Kashmir? » Yes: 64 » No: 17 » Not sure: 18 » No response: 1 Should Musharraf continue as president for a few more years? » Yes: 60 » No: 30 » Not sure: 10 Who or what is primarily responsible for encouraging the militant struggle in Kashmir? » Indian Army’s excesses: 34 » Pakistan Army: 20 » Religious parties: 17 » Political parties: 11 » Indifference of UN and world powers: 10 » Political governments: 3 » Pakistan bureaucracy: 3 » No response: 1 To what extent do you agree or disagree that the Quran and Sunnah should be the source of all laws in Pakistan? » Agree completely: 88 » Agree somewhat: 7 » Neither agree nor disagree: 3 » Disagree somewhat: 1 » Disagree completely: 1 » No response/can’t say: 1

What is the most pressing problem facing Pakistan today?
» Unemployment: 31
» Chances of Indo-Pak war: 21
» Inflation: 15
» Poverty: 9
» Lawlessness: 4
» Kashmir: 4
» Terrorism: 3
» Education: 2
» Restoration of democracy: 1
» Overall economy: 1
» Population explosion: 1
» Can’t say: 8

Has extremism increased or decreased in the last five years?
» Increased: 63
» Decreased: 19
» Remains unchanged: 17
» No response: 2

Will extremism increase or decrease in the next five years?
» Will increase: 30
» Will decrease: 46
» Will remain unchanged: 21
» No response: 3

Who is responsible for increasing extremism?
» External forces: 33
» Government: 18
» Sectarian parties: 16
» Intelligence agencies: 9
» Religious parties: 9
» Political parties: 8
» Media: 2
» Madaris: 1
» No response: 2

Which government is primarily responsible for encouraging extremism?
» Benazir regime: 33
» Zia regime: 23
» Nawaz regime: 20
» Musharraf regime: 23
» No response: 1

Which government has been most successful in controlling extremism?
» Musharraf regime: 63
» Zia regime: 15
» Benazir regime: 11
» Nawaz regime: 8
» No response: 4

Do you approve or disapprove of the anti-extremism measures?
Registration of madaris:
» Approve: 79
» Disapprove: 21
» No response:1
Registration of mosques:
» Approve: 73
» Disapprove: 27
» No response:1
Restricting the use of mosque loudspeakers to azaan
» Approve: 76
» Disapprove: 23
» No response:1
Changing the curriculum of madaris
» Approve: 70
» Disapprove: 29
» No response: 2

To what extent will the ban on religious organisations control extremism?
» To a great extent: 28
» To some extent: 55
» Not all all: 24
» No response: 2

To what extent do you agree that religion should be kept free from politics?
» Agree completely: 62
» Agree somewhat: 11
» Neither agree nor disagree: 8
» Disagree somewhat: 4
» Disagree completely: 14
» No response/can’t say: 1

To what extent do you agree or disagree that the army should not be involved in politics?
» Agree completely: 51
» Agree somewhat: 14
» Neither agree nor disagree: 10
» Disagree somewhat: 7
» Disagree completely: 17
» No response/can’t say: 1

Who determined Pakistan’’s security interests?
» The army: 54
» Politicians: 13
» US: 16
» Don’t know: 18
» No response: 1

How would you describe yourself ideologically?
» Very conservative: 3
» Somewhat conservative: 9
» Very liberal: 9
» Somewhat liberal: 21
» Closer to liberal: 3
» Closer to conservative: 5
» In the middle: 26
» Refused\Can’t say: 24

Were Pakistan’s national security interests served by supporting the US attack on Afghanistan?
» Yes: 61
» No: 22
» Not sure: 16
» No response: 1

Who should determine Pakistan’s national security interests?
» The army: 46
» Parliament: 29
» National Security Council: 13
» Don’t know: 12
» No response: 1

How likely is that the Musharraf government will elections by October 2002?
» Extremely likely: 34
» Most likely: 32
» Least likely: 17
» Not likely: 16
» No response: 1

How likely is it that the polls will be free and fair?
» Extremely likely: 32
» Most likely: 28
» Least likely: 21
» Not likely: 19
» No response: 1

(All results in per cent)