Survey results: Who has been Pakistan's best ruler?

[CriticalThought]

https://www.dawn.com/news/1354690/survey-results-who-has-been-pakistans-best-ruler

Ahead of the 70 year anniversary to mark Independence, Dawn.com asked its readers to rate past rulers of the country based on their time in power.

A snapshot survey conducted online in July this year listed each ruler with a rating scale of 1 (very poor) to 5 (excellent) for respondents to vote on.

The results, reflecting the views of Dawn.com's audience, is arranged in order of best to worst ruler below.

Respondent demographics
A total of 18,544 Dawn.com readers took the survey

1 - Liaqat Ali Khan

Highest ranked ruler of Pakistan based on an average of total responses


Liaqat Ali Khan was ranked number two (under Ayub) in KP, Punjab and 'Others' within Pakistan.

• 
  He was also ranked number two (under ZA Bhutto) by Balochistan respondents.

2 - Ayub Khan

Received the highest percentage of 'Excellent' votes (27%)


Ayub Khan was ranked the number one ruler by KP and Punjab respondents, slightly beating Liaqat Ali Khan.

• 
  Balochistan respondents ranked him two points below the average (from 2 to 4).

• Unlike all the other locations, Balochistan had no military rulers in its top three.

3 - Pervez Musharraf

• Musharraf was ranked two points lower than the average (from 3 to 5) by Balochistan respondents.
  
  
• He was also ranked one point lower in KP and Punjab.
  

4 - ZA Bhutto

Last ruler to have a score above 'Average (3)' from total responses

• ZA Bhutto was ranked the number one ruler by Balochistan respondents. In Balochistan, unlike all other provinces, the top 3 ranked rulers were all civilians.
  
  
• He was ranked one point higher (from 5 to 4) by KP and Punjab respondents, beating Musharraf.
  

RANKED BELOW AVERAGE PERFORMANCE
5 - Benazir Bhutto

• Benazir was ranked third (up two points) by Balochistan respondents.

6 - Malik Ghulam Muhammad






7 - Nawaz Sharif

• Nawaz was ranked one point higher (from 7 to 6) by Punjab and Balochistan respondents.

8 - Ziaul Haq

• Zia was ranked slightly higher (6 instead of 8) by KP respondents.
  
  
• He was ranked slightly lower (9 instead of 8) by expats.
  

9 - Iskander Mirza





10 - Yahya Khan

• Yahya Khan was ranked bottom (from 10 to 11) in KP and Balochistan.

11 - Asif Zardari

• Zardari ranked the worst ruler in all locations except KP and Balochistan, where he rose one point, beating out Yahya Khan.

 

[gangsta_rap]

Ayub Khan brought in improvements that mattered. A lot of sustainable initiatives. Imagine how power generation would've been like today if Ayub Khan had not planned ahead.

 

[CriticalThought]

In terms of development and advancing our economic capabilities, definitely Ayub. In terms of projecting our power and putting anti-Pakistan elements on the backfoot, Zia. I know, people will cry foul, but that's my opinion.

 

[Talwar e Pakistan]

Under Ayub Khan, Pakistan was growing almost three times faster than India. He focused on development and initiated many crucial projects. He still had great potential, but his greatest blunder was initiating military action against India in 1965 instead of 1962.

 

[gangsta_rap]

In terms of projecting our power and putting anti-Pakistan elements on the backfoot, Zia. I know, people will cry foul, but that's my opinion.

I agree wit that point. Overseas Pakistanis had more negative opinion than the consensus most likely because they treat him as the one to blame for the supposed "Islamization". A strong indication as to how badly out of touch so many of the overseas Pakistanis are with recent history.

I really don't understand this point. If Zia had radicalized the country overnight we wouldn't have allowed Benazir into power at all. On top of that statistically when judging from the numbers alone Zia was very beneficial for Pakistan.

If the hudood laws are responsible for radicalization in Pakistan, might as well say that Zia is the reason why Boko Haram came into existence in Nigeria.

 

[Indus Pakistan]

Ayub at top.
Zia and Musharaf at bottom.
Liaqat second from bottom - for giving us the "Objective Resolution".

 

[Well.wisher]

Ayub khan is my choice.
He did a lot for the country .
What a tough leader he was.

 

[The Sandman]

Ayub obviously no question about it. Now DAWN should do "Who was the worst ruler of Pakistan". But than again can there even be a 2nd doubt on it?
@Sher Shah Awan @Hell hound @Zibago @django @RealNapster @Azlan Haider

 

[Indus Pakistan]

If the hudood laws are responsible for radicalization in Pakistan, might as well say that Zia is the reason why Boko Haram came into existence in Nigeria.

Zia was not responsible directly for the radicalization of Pakistan through act of commission. The causes are very complex and involve a whole gamut of forces - some national and some international that all converged in the 1970s and 1980s. But Zia could have done a better job of bridling them. Instead he roded them all the way to extract political benefit and extend his rule.

 

[El Sidd]

And Zia will rest ever more peacefully in his grave now since the kapde phaar brigade is out.

Phaaro kapre phaar kar protest karo. Zor zor se galiyaan do murde ko. Hosake to kalak mall kar moun pay dhamaal dalo

Lol what hypocrites

 

[Syed1.]

Son of a b**** Zia may he forever burn in hell. Can't believe even educated people support that mofo.

 

[Jungibaaz]

It's difficult to say who is best, they all have their short comings, I find it wrong to praise any dictator, but Ayub and Musharraf, if only for the short term, allowed for some prosperity.

The worst of the lot was Zia ul Haq, may we never see his like again. Zardari was also bad, but he succeeded in all his aims as leader and oversaw the smoothest ever operation of looting of Pakistan, keeping the army appeased and opposition tamed.

 

[Hell hound]

Ayub obviously no question about it. Now DAWN should do "Who was the worst ruler of Pakistan". But than again can there even be a 2nd doubt on it?
@Sher Shah Awan @Hell hound @Zibago @django @RealNapster @Azlan Haider

no brainier it was ayub.
but voting for the worse leader is not as easy as you think bro. bhutto and zia were both equally disastrous for the country in their own way

 

[WaLeEdK2]

Ayub Khan definitely.

I would put Zia at the lower end. Although he did grow the economy he was a nightmare for Pakistan in the long run after his death. He gave us the annoying headache of na ehal Nawaz Sharif.

Then there's bhuttos nationalisation that ruined Pakistani industries and set them back years.

 

[The Sandman]

no brainier it was ayub.
but voting for the worse leader is not as easy as you think bro. bhutto and zia were both equally disastrous for the country in their own way

Bhutto was terrible indeed but zia... bro he ruined generations his "achievements" and "gifts" outweigh the disasters of bhutto... you can't call them "equally" terrible at all!