Share this story!            

Musharraf popularity poll exposed as Internet fraud

By Khalid Hasan

WASHINGTON: A public opinion poll that suggested an increase in President Pervez Musharraf’s popularity since he stepped down as army chief and became a civilian president has one major flaw: the US-based organisation that claims to have conducted the poll does not exist.

A press release issued last week claimed that according to a survey conducted by the US-based International Public Opinion Polls (IPOP), 74 percent of those surveyed had said that Pervez Musharraf would get a boost in popularity as civilian president.

The comprehensive directory of polling and survey research organisations in the United States does not list any organisation by the name of IPOP. Other than the alleged Pakistan survey, IPOP has never conducted any other polls according to its website, information confirmed through an Internet search. The IPOP website (www.ipublicpolls.com) carries no organisational details of IPOP. The PDF version of the poll posted on the website says that IPOP is located in Boston, Massachusetts, and gives its zip code as 02106, which does not exist on the US Post Office’s website.

The press release also claimed that the survey was conducted in Pakistan’s major cities via internet and telephone. Given the relatively limited access to the internet and landline telephone service in Pakistan, the methodology cited remains suspect. The IPOP poll also came up with the finding that 55 percent of those surveyed wanted Pakistan’s political parties to take part in an election under civilian President Pervez Musharraf.

Many newspapers carried the poll received via email. However, Daily Times did not publish it.

Home | Main

Share this story!