Amid rising tensions with India, a new Gallup Pakistan survey reveals that an overwhelming 93% of Pakistanis have pledged to defend their homeland, expressing their readiness to fight until the last drop of blood if necessary.
Despite the heightened conflict, 72% of respondents voiced support for peace, describing war as harmful and urging efforts to avoid further escalation. However, 27% of those surveyed expressed support for military action, advocating for a strong retaliatory response to any Indian aggression.
This national sentiment comes in the wake of recent Indian strikes on the night between May 6 and 7, which targeted civilian areas in Muzaffarabad, Kotli, and Bagh in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, as well as Muridke and Shakargarh in Punjab. The attacks resulted in 31 Pakistani civilian deaths and left 57 others injured.
In response, the Pakistan Armed Forces retaliated decisively, reportedly shooting down five Indian aircraft, including three Rafale fighter jets, and destroying several Indian military posts in occupied Kashmir.
The survey highlights both the unity of the Pakistani people in the face of external threats and their simultaneous desire for peace, reflecting a mature public perspective shaped by decades of regional tension.