WASHINGTON — Pakistanis were leery of their government’s anti-terrorism cooperation with the United States even before President Bush authorized U.S. military action inside Pakistan without their government’s approval, according to a poll.
The poll by the Gallup organization, taken in June, found that almost half of Pakistanis, or 45 percent, thought the U.S. military presence across the border in Afghanistan posed a threat to Pakistan. Only 17 percent said “no,” and more than one-third, 38 percent of respondents, had no opinion or would not answer.
Bush’s July approval of U.S. incursions across the Afghan- Pakistani border came to light after reports appeared about the U.S. operations, mainly comprising drone missile strikes at suspected Taliban or al-Qaeda sites in Pakistani territory.
The June poll found that one in three of the respondents said the U.S. relationship with Pakistan in President Bush’s campaign against terrorism mostly benefits the United States. Only 7 percent — fewer than one in 10 — said Pakistan benefits more.
More than that, 10 percent, said both sides get nothing from the partnership.
The findings were based on face-to-face interviews, in the first half of this year in Pakistan, with about 802 people 15 and older. The margin of sampling error is plus or minus 5 percentage points. The Associated Press
