Traders, analysts and economists in Pakistan consider Imran Khan to be the best option for running the country’s economy, a Bloomberg survey said on Wednesday.
Khan, effectively barred from contesting the Feb. 8 election, was ranked highest among 12 traders, economists and analysts from some of the nation’s biggest brokerages. Respondents cited the former cricket star’s “enduring popularity” as a key reason, saying he would be able to push through market-focused reforms in the long run.
“Three-time former premier Nawaz Sharif came second, with respondents mentioning his experience in government and the widespread belief that he’s backed by the country’s powerful military,” the survey results showed.
The survey also predicted that the economy would grow at 2.65% in the current fiscal year, a figure higher that the 2-2.5% given by the government itself.
Khan currently has three separate court convictions and is barred from running in elections. But independent observers and voters are raising questions about the legitimacy of the upcoming polls if the country’s most popular politician is barred from contesting when almost 129 million eligible voters cast their ballots in federal and provincial elections next week.
