Only 11% rate Pakistan an ally (3%) or even just a friend (8%) of the United States, and while few (17%) rate Pakistan an enemy or at least unfriendly (41%), that’s a solid majority of 58% who put Pakistan on the unfriendly side of that ledger. Many (31%) are not sure.
Americans believe the views of Pakistanis mirror their own views. Americans think only 9% of Pakistanis rate the United States an ally (2%) or even just a friend (7%), while many feel Pakistanis rate America an enemy (28%) or at least unfriendly (32%), for a total of 60% of Americans who think Pakistanis put the U.S. on the unfriendly side of their ledger. Again, 30% are of Americans are not sure.
Older Americans age 65+, men, Republicans and conservatives are the most likely to have an opinion about Pakistan; younger adults under age 30, women, Democrats and both moderates and liberals are more likely to answer “not sure.” The groups more likely to express an opinion are more likely to express a negative opinion. Differences are not quite so sharply drawn when it comes to assessing what Pakistanis think of the U.S., but follow the same general pattern.
To have an opinion about Pakistan is to hold a negative opinion and to assume the Pakistanis feel the same way about us.
Full datasets for Economist/YouGov polls can be found here.
