Public confidence in Pakistan’s direction reaches its highest in 3 years: survey

Public confidence in Pakistan's direction has reached its highest level in three years, accompanied by record relief in inflation, according to the Ipsos survey.

Ipsos, a multinational market research and consulting firm, conducted the survey by interviewing 1,000 individuals across four provinces, Islamabad, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

According to the survey, public confidence in the country’s direction climbed to 19 percent, the highest in 36 months while inflation dropped by 16 points, reaching a 3.5-year low.

The Ipsos survey revealed that the percentage of people describing the economy as “strong” quadrupled, while those calling it “weak” decreased by 9 points.

Additionally, there was a 20-point positive shift in the fourth quarter among respondents expressing optimism about household finances.

One in five Pakistanis (19 percent) believed that the local economy will strengthen in the next six months.

The survey also indicated that confidence in saving for the future rose again, although most Pakistanis remain hesitant to invest in major purchases. Confidence in job security has similarly reached a three-year high.

On the Global Consumer Confidence Index, Pakistan has surpassed Turkey, while the rankings of India, China, and Brazil have declined.

Ipsos noted that these figures reflect the growing confidence of the Pakistani people and the strengthening of the economy, which provides the government with an opportunity to further consolidate these achievements.