ISLAMABAD: The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) has reported significant growth in new company registrations and foreign investment during the period from February to April 2026. This development follows a series of reforms introduced by the commission’s new management, aimed at modernizing the country’s corporate sector.
According to Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan, the SECP registered 10,511 new companies in the three-month period, marking a 21 percent increase compared to the 8,693 companies incorporated during the same period the previous year. Of these, 4,082 companies were incorporated in April, setting a new monthly record for the regulator. The data also revealed that investors from more than 22 countries registered companies in Pakistan, with 220 companies involving foreign shareholders and a cumulative paid-up capital of Rs882 million, a substantial rise from Rs277 million in the corresponding period last year.
Foreign investment during this period was predominantly in sectors such as trading, services, information technology, construction, and mining, with Chinese investors being prominent participants. The SECP also noted a significant increase in compliance filings, with 61,960 returns received compared to 38,326 from the previous year, representing a 61 percent increase.
To enhance corporate governance, the SECP has launched a compliance campaign focusing on statutory returns and Ultimate Beneficial Ownership compliance requirements. In a move to promote digitization and transparency, the SECP issued a notification for the transition of physical shares to a book-entry form and signed agreements with Askari Bank and NayaPay to streamline bank account openings for new companies.
The SECP’s future plans include establishing Business Facilitation Centres in major cities such as Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Sialkot, and Faisalabad. Additionally, the commission aims to further automate company registration processes through AI-enabled systems and introduce more ease of doing business reforms.