World Bank Report Exposes Deep Fiscal Inequalities Across Pakistan's Provinces

A World Bank report has highlighted serious flaws in Pakistan's fiscal decentralisation, revealing that provincial capitals such as Quetta and Lahore receive considerably more public spending per person than the broader provinces they represent. The findings show that despite budget surpluses in certain areas, poorer regions continue to suffer from chronic underinvestment. Spending on essential services like education and healthcare has failed to deliver expected outcomes, raising questions about resource allocation efficiency. Auditors have additionally uncovered widespread financial irregularities across the country's public finance system.