ISLAMABAD: The findings of a recent survey by Gallup show nearly 68 percent of Pakistanis supported Prime Minister Imran Khan’s decision to dissolved the National Assembly and call for snap polls, while a majority did not believe there was a foreign conspiracy to topple Khan.
Last Sunday, Khan dissolved the National Assembly after a no-confidence motion seeking his removal was dismissed by the deputy speaker, a Khan ally, triggering a political and constitutional crisis in a country.
Gallup asked respondents in a survey if they supported the PM’s move to dissolve the National Assembly and call fresh elections.
“To this question a wide majority 68 percent say they support and 32 percent say they oppose PM Imran Khan’s move,” Gallup Pakistan’s Survey said on Wednesday.
The survey results added:
“Majority don’t believe in US Conspiracy to remove Imran Khan, although split exists along party lines. Significant majority 64 percent responded to this question and say that Imran Khan was being ousted because of inflation and not because of a foreign conspiracy.”
On anti-Americanism sentiment, the survey said almost 2 in 3 Pakistanis (72 percent) thought the US was an enemy of Pakistan: “Anti-Americanism was highest among PTI [Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf] Supporters (80 percent thought America was an enemy) and lowest among PML-N [Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz] voters (65 percent).”
Khan has repeatedly said that Donald Lu, a top US official dealing with South Asia in the US State Department, was involved in the alleged conspiracy to topple his government. Washington has denied the allegation.
Majority of Pakistanis don’t believe in US conspiracy against PM Khan – Gallup
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Majority of Pakistanis don’t believe in US conspiracy against PM Khan – Gallup
- 64% believe opposition wanted to oust PM Khan over inflation
- Anti-Americanism sentiment highest among Khan’s supporters
Pakistan says $50 million meat export deal with Tajikistan nearing finalization
- Islamabad expects to finalize agreement soon after Dushanbe signals demand for 100,000 tons
- Pakistan is seeking to expand agricultural trade beyond rice, citrus and mango exports
ISLAMABAD: Tajikistan has expressed interest in importing 100,000 tons of Pakistani meat worth more than $50 million, with both governments expected to finalize a supply agreement soon, Pakistan’s food security ministry said on Tuesday.
Pakistan is trying to grow agriculture-based exports as it seeks regional markets for livestock and food commodities, while Tajikistan, a landlocked Central Asian state, has been expanding food imports to support domestic demand. Pakistan currently exports rice, citrus and mangoes to Dushanbe, though volumes remain small compared to national production, according to official figures.
The development came during a meeting in Islamabad between Pakistan’s Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain and Ambassador of Tajikistan Yusuf Sharifzoda, where agricultural trade, livestock supply and food-security cooperation were discussed.
“Tajikistan intends to purchase 100,000 tons of meat from Pakistan, an import valued at over USD 50 million,” the ambassador said, according to the ministry’s statement, assuring full facilitation and that Islamabad was prepared to meet the demand.
The statement said the two sides agreed to expand cooperation in meat and livestock, fresh fruit, vegetables, staple crops, agricultural research, pest management and standards compliance. Pakistan also proposed strengthening coordination on phytosanitary rules and establishing pest-free production zones to support long-term exports.
Pakistan and Tajikistan have long maintained political ties but bilateral food trade remains below potential: Pakistan produces 1.8 million tons of mangoes annually but exported just 0.7 metric tons to Tajikistan in 2024, while rice exports amounted to only 240 metric tons in 2022 out of national output of 9.3 million tons. Pakistan imports mainly ginned cotton from Tajikistan.
