10% true only and more like a myth. I have been to many countries and most of them having out of city roads conditions like Pakistan. I work in Oil and Gas industry in field areas, so travelled on those roads in many places. There are potholes on road all over the world. Inter-city roads in Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi etc are good too same like other countries. Anyway a Car is not meant to run on a way where tractors run like old village areas etc 
Bigger sizes wheels are used in all expensive cars to increase looks without compromising comfort. Civic itself comes in 16", 17" and 18" wheels and all three sizes travels on same roads so it is more about price and looks than road condition. Atlas also moved to 17" in RS in "Our Pakistan".
I personally switched from 15" to 17" accord wheels on 9th gen and drive was not affected (used for 2 years and no damage to suspension too) and now interesting thing........switched from 225/55/16 with my beloved C-drive to 215/50/17 with Primacy4 and despite smaller side wall drives gets butter smooth. So not only wheel size, there are many other reasons too.
Many may not agree but car suspension is the major participant bearing road shocks/jerks and not tires. Look at a side by side running car, whole tire moves up & down in arch and not tire side wall compresses/decompresses. Manufacturer offer different wheel sizes in same car different variant while suspension system stays same.
Use bigger wheel size with quality tire combination and you will feel Pakistani road problem thing as myth same like "Auto transmission garri nahn Kamyaab Pakistan men"
