8 in 10 Pakistanis want laws to strictly follow teachings of Quran: Survey

Washington, July 11 (ANI): Eighty-two percent of Pakistanis believe that "laws should strictly follow the teachings of the Quran", while in the rest of the Muslim world, only 72 per cent of Jordanians, 60 per cent of Egyptians, 23 per cent of Tunisians and 17 per cent of Turks and Lebanese agreed, a recent survey conducted by the Pew Research Center has revealed.

According to the survey, democracy is still popular in six Muslim-majority countries, over a year after the Arab Spring, and the majority in some countries favours laws based on the Quran, reports The Dawn.

The first two Muslim-majority nations to overthrow a dictator still "desire" democracy, with some 67 per cent of Egyptians and 63 per cent of Tunisians saying "democracy is preferable," according to the survey.

In the rest of the region, 84 per cent of Lebanese and 71 per cent of Turks say "democracy is preferable," but Jordanians and Pakistanis are less enthusiastic, at 61 and 42 per cent respectively.

Forty-five per cent of Tunisians say the country has improved without ousted 23-year president Zine el Abidine Ben Ali, and 42 per cent disagree. Tunisians are still optimistic about the future of their country, with 75 per cent saying the nation's flailing economy will improve.

A majority of poll participants believe women should have the same rights as men. Lebanese led the pack with 93 per cent believing in gender equality.

The overwhelming majority of most poll participants opposed extremists, even if Al-Qaeda is seen as favorable by 19 per cent of Egyptians, 16 per cent of Tunisians and 13 per cent of Pakistanis.

The polls were conducted in March and April, with a sample of 1,000 participants per country and a margin of error ranging from more or less than 3.9 to 5.2 points across the different countries. (ANI)