Islamabad: Nearly half of Pakistanis favor verbal greetings for New Year celebrations, while a significant portion refrains from any form of wishing, according to a recent survey by Gallup and Gilani Pakistan. The survey uncovered that 46% of respondents prefer to verbally congratulate friends and family, whereas 31% do not engage in New Year greetings at all.

According to Gallup and Gilani Pakistan, the survey involved a nationally representative sample of 787 adults, covering both urban and rural areas across all four provinces. Conducted between January 15 and February 3, 2026, the survey revealed the most common method of New Year greeting to be verbal congratulations. Other forms of greetings included phone calls (10%), home visits (4%), gift-giving (3%), and inviting others to their home (2%). A minor segment of respondents either used other unspecified methods (1%) or did not provide a response (3%).

These findings indicate a preference for low-intensity, verbal greetings among Pakistanis, with a notable segment choosing not to observe the occasion actively. The survey’s results suggest that New Year celebrations in Pakistan are not universally emphasized and vary across different societal segments. Data for the survey was collected through telephonic interviews, with an error margin of approximately ±2-3 percent at a 95% confidence level.