Local-government spending fell from about 10% of total government spending in 2005 to under 5% in 2024 after major devol
Source
World Bank — https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2026/07/01/pakistan-strengthening-fiscal-federalism-to-drive-development. Verified in source set / retroactive normalization pending.
What it proves
Devolution must extend from provinces to empowered/accountable local governments; responsibility without aligned resources weakens service delivery.
How to deploy: Use Local-government spending fell from about 10% of total government spending in 2005 to under 5% in 2024 after major devol (Local-government spending fell from about 10% of total government spending in 2005 to under 5% in 2024 after major devolution., 2005-2024) to support the claim that Devolution must extend from provinces to empowered/accountable local governments; responsibility without aligned resources weakens service delivery.
What it does not prove: This is a share of total government spending, not a rupee amount: total public spending grew over 2005-2024, so the halving of the share is consistent with local budgets rising slowly in nominal terms while everything else rose faster. The 2005 baseline is also the high point of the district-government system then in force, so the fall partly measures the dismantling of that arrangement rather than a steady two-decade slide.
Memory hook: 10% → under 5%: devolution stopped at the provincial capitals
Rebuts the claim: "The 18th Amendment devolved power to the grassroots" — the transfer stopped at provinces, and the local share of spending halved after it.