ISLAMABAD: Lawmakers have sought a probe into a staggering Rs2.6 trillion expenditure by the federal government on education and health ministries devolved in 2010, questioning the constitutional basis of the spending over the last 16 years.
The issue was raised in a meeting of the subcommittee of the Senate Functional Committee on Devolution, which was chaired by Senator Zamir Hussain Ghumro.
The parliamentary oversight body challenged the legal authorisation for such colossal spending on sectors that were formally transferred to the provinces more than a decade ago under the 18th Amendment.
Terming the enormous outflow a clear misallocation of taxpayers’ money and an unjustified drain on public resources, the panel emphasised that the centre is constitutionally restricted from funding subjects that no longer fall under its direct legislative mandate.
The committee chairman expressed concern that the details sought by the panel had not been submitted within the stipulated timeframe and stressed that the parliament was the primary authority for authorising public expenditure and that too on only federal subjects, as public funds belonged to the people and required proper scrutiny by the auditor general.
He further emphasised that the committee had a responsibility to examine whether expenditure on devolved subjects was consistent with the constitutional framework and asked the auditor general of Pakistanto clarify the basis on which such an expenditure was authorised and audited.
The AGP officials explained that their audit process was guided by budgets approved by the competent parliamentary forum, which determined the allocation of funds, and acknowledged certain limitations in their audit coverage.
The chairman said though the budget is approved by the National Assembly, it was the duty of the auditor general to see under section 8 of the Auditor General of Pakistan (functions and powers) Ordinance and Article 169 of the Constitution that expenditure had been authorised for the purpose and service to be provided by the federal government under the Constitution.
He said expenditure from the federal consolidated fund cannot be authorised for devolved provincial matters.
The chairman directed the concerned officials to furnish the required information. The AGP officials assured the committee that the requested data would be provided within two weeks.
The committee emphasised the need for comprehensive documentation to facilitate effective parliamentary oversight of federal expenditure in the context of the 18th Constitutional Amendment and also examined the proposed privatisation of power distribution companies (Discos).
The chairman questioned whether the proposed privatisation was consistent with the constitutional distribution of powers, observing that electricity distribution and related matters involved provincial interests.
Published in Dawn, October 15th, 2026
