Fake survey reports can not change the reality:Dr Shireen Mazari

Lahore: Dr Shireen Mazari, in a press conference today, struck out at the doctored poll conducted by Gallup-Pakistan by questioning the credibility not only of the poll but of the institution itself and the gentleman heading it. According to her, Dr Gilani advisor to the then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif from 1991-1993 and Chairman of the PM’s Committee for Research and Analysis situated in the PM House.

Not many Pakistanis know that Gallup Pakistan has nothing to do with the US-based Gallup, Inc. that frequently makes international headlines with its presidential approval ratings and US economic data. Instead, Gallup Pakistan is associated with the UK-based Gallup International Association, which works primarily through its website and is notorious in the market research industry for handing out affiliations all over the world for as low as a few hundred dollars.

It was in 2006 that Gallup Pakistan was denied registration of the “Gallup” trademark in Pakistan after the trademark registrar received objections from Gallup, Inc. Later a US court ruled in favor of the Gallup, Inc. after the company complained of trademark infringement when Gallup Pakistan’s Dr. Gilani took part in a US radio show and used the name Gallup Pakistan to describe the company.

In contrast she gave out a more comprehensive poll conducted by IRIS Communications a firm that has been in the business of conducting polls for the corporate sector as well, with a wider and more representative sampling base.

According to IRIS’s extensive survey it is clear that the PTI post intra-party elections and 23rd March jalsa returned to a strong showing in the polls.

Dr Mazari stated that clearly the Gallup poll was tied to the claims being made by the Sharifs in their electioneering that a vote against PMLN is a vote for PTI. This is clear misguiding of the voters and is a breach the Code of Conduct put out by the ECP. She called on the ECP to take note of this serious and deliberate confusion being created by PMLN’s disinformation campaign.

She asked the media to disregard doctored surveys by partisan organizations and look at the polls put out by internationally credible institutions.

She reiterated that this time round the people of Pakistan are wise to the disinformation being put out by the status quo, family-oriented parties.