The British government has funded research into public opinion in the tribal areas, the poorest area of Pakistan where the average local income is half the national average and average per capita development expenditure under a third of that elsewhere.
Locals, who express a strong desire for more jobs, hold mixed views on the cause of local "Talibanisation", blaming it on the Afghan conflict, corrupt and inefficient local government, poverty and illiteracy. Though there is strong support for better female access to health and education, there was profound reluctance among the largely male survey respondents to empower women more generally, with 67% supporting "honour killings". Over 50% of those polled believed Islamic law brought peace to the region and only 3.6% considered the Taliban to be terrorists. Read more ...
Locals, who express a strong desire for more jobs, hold mixed views on the cause of local "Talibanisation", blaming it on the Afghan conflict, corrupt and inefficient local government, poverty and illiteracy. Though there is strong support for better female access to health and education, there was profound reluctance among the largely male survey respondents to empower women more generally, with 67% supporting "honour killings". Over 50% of those polled believed Islamic law brought peace to the region and only 3.6% considered the Taliban to be terrorists. Read more ...
Source: The Guardian
H/T: Weasel Zippers
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