US survey finds unprecedented pessimism in Afghanistan

NEW YORK, Oct 27 (APP):Afghans are showing unprecedented levels of pessimism about the future of their war-torn country, amid continuing militant attacks, according to a US survey.
In the survey released Friday, Gallup asked Afghans of all walks of life how good they anticipate life to be in five years. It recorded a shocking average of 2.3 on a ladder scale with 10 as the best possible.
Almost no Afghans see their economic situation improving anytime soon. This year, 4 percent say their standard of living is getting better; this is lower than or on par with the lowest figures Gallup has recorded from any country since 2006, including the most desperately poor countries in Africa and Asia, Gallup said.
Two years ago, Afghans put their life quality in five years at 5.4.
The figures in the annual study mark a sharp deterioration, with Afghans in 2016 putting their life in five years at 5.4.
Gallup conducted the survey in July in face-to-face interviews of 1,000 Afghans.
The results of the survey were announced in the wake of last weeks legislative elections which were marred by violence.
Some four million Afghans last weekend voted in long-delayed legislative elections amid widespread accounts of polling problems.
The US invaded Afghanistan in 2001, toppling a Taliban regime in control of most of the country at the time. But security in the country, plagued by militancy and terrorism, has not been restored.