Majority rejoice over Musharraf resignation: survey

ISLAMABAD: The Gallup survey (Pakistan) Tuesday revealed that 63 per cent people rejoice over President Musharraf's resignation, while only 15 per cent regret it. "20 per cent were ambivalent about saying they were neither happy or unhappy", the survey added. According to the survey, soon after Pervez Musharraf announced his resignation on Monday the poll was carried out by Gallup Pakistan (Pakistan Institute of Public Opinion) the Pakistani affiliate of Gallup International. The sample size was approximately 560 men and women statistically chosen from major urban areas of the country comprising a cross-section of all ages, socio-economic and linguistic groups. Demands for Musharraf's resignation had been rising consistently since November last year when Musharraf suspended the constitution. According to Musharraf, the reason for imposing `emergency' was to safeguard Pakistan. In his resignation speech, he again cited Pakistan's best interests as the reason behind his departure. However, 70 per cent dispute Musharraf's claim to have resigned with the motive of Pakistan first. Instead, they said he resigned in personal interest-'Musharraf first' approach. The majority of Pakistanis, 64 per cent, also reject his claims of economic accomplishments and good government during his last nine-year tenure. Surveys have shown that, rightly or wrongly, majority of Pakistanis attribute current economic crisis and inflation to bad policies of Musharraf regime. The majority of Pakistanis take a pessimistic view of the past nine years, 70 per cent said it was bad or vary bad and only 18 per cent said it was good or very good. The remaining did not give a view. As his tenure comes to an end, 55 per cent Pakistanis expect that conditions in the country would improve with Musharraf's resignation, 19 per cent take a pessimistic view said conditions will worsen; 19 per cent expect no change. Although there is uncertainty as to whether charges will be pressed against the former President, for suspending the constitution among others things, 65 per cent support holding a proper trial while only 26 per cent are in favor of the "forgive and forget" option. On the issues of restoring deposed judges, 85 per cent want Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry and other judges to be restored immediately, 6 per cent oppose restoration, while 9 per cent advise not to take up the issue right now.