Over half of Pakistanis say government’s 2021 performance ‘worse than expected’ — survey

Daily wage labourers sit along a road waiting for customers to hire them for a day job in Karachi on July 25, 2021. (AFP)

• Paris-based research firm Ipsos interviewed 1,126 people for the survey 
• Even half of those who voted for PTI in 2018 are dissatisfied with government 

ISLAMABAD: More than half of Pakistanis believe that Prime Minister Imran Khan’s government performed “worse than expected” in the year 2021, a survey by Paris-based research and consultation firm, Ipsos, suggested earlier this week.
Ipsos interviewed 1,126 Pakistanis between December 18 and December 24 about the performance of various government departments and officials.
According to the survey, 55 percent Pakistanis said the government’s performance was worse than expected, 32 percent opined it was almost the same as expected and 13 percent found it to be better than expected.
“Even half of those who voted for PTI in 2018 are dissatisfied with their government performance in 2021,” the survey report read.
The interviewees found the performance of judiciary, opposition, the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC), which oversees the country’s pandemic response, and the education ministry to be below par.
Around 46 percent and 45 percent respondents, respectively, said they found the performance of Education Minister Shafqat Mehmood and PM’s aide on health Dr. Faisal Sultan to be “worse than expected” too.
Around half of the respondents were satisfied with the performance of the Pakistan cricket team and skipper Babar Azam, and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Ramiz Raja.
“More than half of Pakistanis are dissatisfied with provincial government’s performance,” the report added.