KABUL (PAN): A new public opinion poll regarding the April 2014 presidential elections on Monday found Dr. Abdullah, Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai, Abdul Qayum Karzai and Abdul Rab Rassoul Sayyaf as leading contenders.
Conducted by Soft Power Solution (SPS) in collaboration with Democracy International (DI) in 115 districts of 34 provinces, the survey polled 2,500 people of different ages and categories, including 51 percent women.
Fifty-two percent of respondents supported Dr. Abdullah, 48 percent Ashraf Ghani, 40 percent Abdul Qayyum Karzai and 27 percent Sayyaf, 25 percent Gul Agha Sherzai, 25 percent to Zalmai Rassoul, 17 percent Rahim Wardak, 16 percent Daud Sultanzoy, 15 percent Qutbuddin Hilal, 15 percent Nadir Naeem and 11 percent Amin Arsala.
On the popularity front, 92 percent voted for Dr. Abdullah, 86 percent for Ahmadzai, 81 percent for Karzai, 78 percent for Sayyaf, 65 percent for Sherzai, 62 percent for Wardak, 53 percent for Zalmai Rassoul, 39 percent for Sultanzoy, 36 percent for Naeem, 35 percent for Hilal and 35 percent for Arsala.
Thirty-two percent of interviewees believed Dr. Abdullah would work for people’s economic prosperity, 28 percent chose Ahmadzai, 13 percent favoured Karzai and 10.3 percent said Sayyaf.
Similarly, 29 percent of respondents said Dr. Abdullah would win the elections, 27 percent voted for Ghani, 15 percent for Karzai, 11 percent for Sayyaf, 5.9 percent for Rassoul and 5.1 percent for Sherzai.
Key demands of those polled included improvement of the economy, establishment of industrial units, and creation of job opportunities, boosting security and building infrastructure. Combating corruption, peace with the Taliban, reconstruction and paving roads were other main demands.
According to the SPS poll, 85 percent of respondents said they would participate in the presidential and provincial council elections; only 8 percent said they won’t. Most people wanted strict security, transparency and a greater turnout.
Lawlessness, ignorance and barring women from voting by their families are among the factors that may harm the election process.
However, 48 people feared chances of rigging, threats from Taliban and foreign interference would make the election less transparent and acceptable to the masses. Nineteen percent cited a weak economy and poverty as challenges to elections.
According to the poll, 33 percent believe Afghanistan is heading toward prosperity, while 34 percent have an opposite view about the future of the country. Additionally, 21 percent think Afghanistan is heading towards devastation.
Most respondents viewed the Afghan National Army (ANA), police and the Presidential Palace as popular state institutions. More than 2,000 individuals were polled.
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