Pakistanis rank Gen Musharraf over politicians Benazir, Sharif as leader

A majority of people in a survey in Pakistan said that President General Pervez Musharraf is an ideal choice to lead the country as against former Prime Ministers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif.

Washington, Oct 8 : A majority of people in a survey in Pakistan said that President General Pervez Musharraf is an ideal choice to lead the country as against former Prime Ministers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif.

Musharraf was the preferred choice of most of the people questioned in a survey conducted by US based research organization International Public Opinion Polls (IPOP).

In total, 1572 people (1023 men and 549 women) in Pakistan were included in the survey, with educated and relatively less educated populace of the country being the target population.

The purpose of the survey was to explore suitable and substantive political leadership qualities and attributes from within Pakistan's youth, for a nation beleaguered by terrorist attacks, suicide bombings and religious fanaticism, The News reported.

The survey was conducted between August 15 and September 20 in 62 cities of Pakistan, 17 being major and 45 being comparatively lesser developed.

A total of 208 people from Karachi, 249 from Lahore, 302 from Islamabad, 126 from Peshawar, 46 from Quetta, 139 from Hyderabad, seven from Rawalpindi, 65 from Multan, 64 from Gujarat, 44 from Muzaffarabad, 33 from Okara, 91 from Faisalabad, 20 from Jacobabad, 21 from Mirpur Khas, 22 from Gilgit, three from Rahim Yar Khan, eight from Nawabshah and 145 from other cities of Pakistan expressed their opinion and shared their views in the survey.

ANI