Price Differential Claims Soar to Rs125 Billion Amid Oil Price Freeze

ISLAMABAD: Following the outbreak of conflict in the Gulf region, Price Differential Claims (PDC) in Pakistan surged to Rs125 billion due to the government’s oil price freeze in March 2026.

Government sources told The News on Tuesday that the three-week freeze during March caused the PDC volume to spike, highlighting a lack of transparency in the system that warrants a thorough forensic review.

Sources suggested that the Auditor General (AG) and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) should immediately conduct a forensic audit of industry reserves. They warned that if the tax net is not broadened, the government risks turning fuel tanks into its “ATM,” forcing citizens to continue paying the world’s highest “inefficiency tax.”

Officials pointed out that the current “petrol bomb” scenario is a consequence of weak governance. They stressed that the state should impose taxes on non-filers, real estate, and retailers with the same rigor applied to ordinary citizens at petrol pumps to ensure fairness and prevent abuse of the system.