Erdogan emerges world's most popular Muslim leader in Gallup International survey

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has emerged as the most popular Muslim leader in the world, according to an annual popularity index of world political leaders released by Gallup International in collaboration with Gallup Pakistan. 

While Erdogan takes the top popularity spot among Muslim leaders in the world with 30%, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman comes in second at 25% and President Rouhani of Iran finishes at number three with a 21% rating. 

Erdogan also has the honour of being included among the top five most favoured political leaders in the world. Merkel of Germany leads the ratings with 46% followed by Macron of France at 40%, Putin at 36%, Trump at 31% and Erdogan at 30% (tied for the fifth spot with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson). These have emerged as the top five global leaders in the world by popularity. 

The Gallup International End of Year Survey (EoY) has been carried out across the world every year since 1977. This time, it was conducted in 50 countries across the world. 

"A total of 50261 persons were interviewed globally. In each country a representative sample of around 1000 men and women were interviewed during November-December 2019 either face to face, via telephone or online," read a statement from Gallup International's press release. 

Erdogan arrives in Pakistan on two-day official visit

Erdogan arrived on a two-day visit to Pakistan on Thursday along with a sizable delegation of business leaders for focused meetings that may fetch export and import orders for both sides.

Read more: PM Imran drives Erdogan to the PM House

Prime Minister Imran Khan arrived at the Noor Khan airbase to personally receive the Turkish president.

The prime minister was accompanied by the members of the federal cabinet.

PM Imran Khan personally drove the car to take the Turkish president and his wife, Emine Erdoğan, to the PM House.