Govt hits out at opinion polls
ISLAMABAD: The PPP government has reacted to The News story about putting pressure on Transparency International to stop this year’s Corruption Index.
The Press Information Department issued a release which said: The government spokesman rebuts the story by saying that neither has the Government of Pakistan harassed any poll/survey conducting organization including Transparency International Pakistan (TIP) nor has it stopped release of any such polls report.
The assertions made in the story are baseless and frivolous. The democratically elected Civilian Government of Pakistan believes in freedom of expression guaranteed by the constitution.
Although such polls are structurally flawed and does not represent the views and opinions of the larger segment of the society, the government has never applied any influence to stop any organisation for conducting surveys. Similar surveys in the past had made the headline in the newspapers but seldom did they affect the rating and popularity of Pakistan People’s Party and its leadership in the country, the government spokesman said.
“We believe that the opinion polls/surveys do not commensurate with the will of the people expressed through the casting of their votes in the elections.
The people of Pakistan decided in the general elections 2008 whom they want to represent them in the Parliament. The people have, from time to time, demonstrated their will in the by-elections held in different constituencies across the country.
The latest elections held last week for the AJK Legislative Assembly are the best gauge to feel the pulse of the nation and the confidence they have in Pakistan People’s Party and its leadership.”
The government believes in freedom of expression and considers critic as a building block for the democratic strength of the society, the spokesman said. Usman Manzoor adds: The reply of the government speaks clearly of its intentions towards the independent watchdogs who are pinpointing its corruption. T
he government spokesman has talked about The News story less and more about the opinion polls surveyors, terming the internationally reputed organisations’ surveys as structurally flawed which speaks of the government’s so-called belief in “freedom of expression”. The story was based on credible information. The News stands by its story.
Source: The News
Date:7/2/2011
” 
” 
” 
” 
” 
