A substantial majority of Pakistanis, nearly two-thirds (65%), identify worship as the primary source of long-lasting happiness, a new national poll from Gallup and Gilani Pakistan reveals today.
This sentiment places spiritual devotion significantly ahead of love, wealth, or professional success as the key to enduring contentment. The survey posed the question: ‘In your view, what is the one thing in life that gives long-lasting happiness rather than temporary happiness?’ The responses provided a stark contrast in perceived sources of fulfillment. While worship was the top choice for most, only 22% of respondents cited ‘love and relationships’ as the foundation of lasting joy.
Material and professional achievements garnered even less support, with both ‘success’ and ‘wealth and comfort’ each being selected by a mere 5% of the populace. A small fraction, 3%, either did not know or provided no response.
These results underscore a strong moral-spiritual orientation within Pakistani society regarding the definition of profound happiness. According to the research, emotional connections and material factors assume significantly smaller roles when individuals consider sources of lasting, rather than temporary, satisfaction.
The study was conducted by Gallup and Gilani Pakistan, the national affiliate of Gallup International. The telephonic poll surveyed a nationally representative sample of 961 individuals across urban and rural areas in all four of the country”s provinces.
Data for the survey, released by the Gilani Research Foundation, was collected from 17 November 2025 to 2 December 2025. The research carries an estimated error margin of approximately ± 2 to 3 percent at a 95% confidence level.