Washington, Dec 10: A public opinion poll that had suggested a rise in President Pervez Musharraf’s popularity since his stepping down as Army Chief, has one major flaw -- the US-based organisation which conducted the poll simply does not exist.

A press release issued last week quoted the survey conducted by the US-based International Public Opinion Polls (IPOP) as saying that 74 per cent of those surveyed had said that Musharraf would get a boost in popularity as a civilian President.

The comprehensive directory of polling and survey research organisations in the United States does not list any organisation by the name of IPOP.

Other than the alleged Pakistan survey, IPOP has never conducted any other polls according to its website, the Daily Times says after an Internet search.

The IPOP website (www.ipublicpolls.com) carries no organisational details of IPOP.

The PDF version of the poll posted on the website says that IPOP is located in Boston, Massachusetts, and gives its zip code as 02106, which does not exist on the US Post Office’s website.

The press release also claimed that the survey was conducted in Pakistan’s major cities via Internet and telephone.

Given the relatively limited access to the Internet and landline telephone service in Pakistan, the methodology cited remains suspect.

The IPOP poll also came up with the finding that 55 per cent of those surveyed wanted Pakistan’s political parties to take part in an election under civilian President Pervez Musharraf. (ANI)