SECP registers 5,003 new companies in October, takes total to 321,794

ISLAMABAD (News Desk): The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) registered 5,003 new companies in October, taking the total number of registered companies in the country to 321,794, reflecting continued growth in business registrations.

According to the SECP, 99.9 percent of the newly registered companies completed their registration process online, highlighting the increasing use of digital services for corporate registration.

Private limited companies accounted for 55.4 percent of the new registrations, while single-member companies represented 41.6 percent.

Punjab recorded the highest number of new registrations with 2,663 companies, followed by Islamabad with 934 and Sindh with 751.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa recorded 382 new companies, while 162 companies were registered in Gilgit-Baltistan and 111 in Balochistan.

The information technology sector led new company registrations during October, with 991 companies, followed by trading with 767 registrations.

The services sector accounted for 594 new companies, while 295 companies were registered in construction. Food and beverages recorded 219 registrations, tourism 213 and real estate 170.

The SECP said 173 foreign investors became directors in companies registered during October, indicating continued participation by international investors in Pakistan’s corporate sector.

Women’s participation among shareholders and directors of newly registered companies stood at 13 percent, according to the regulator.

SECP Chairman Dr Kabir Ahmed Sidhu said the increase in company registrations reflected growing investment activity in the country.

He said the commission was digitising corporate compliance procedures to make it easier to do business in Pakistan and improve the overall business environment.

Sidhu said the establishment of new companies would also contribute to employment generation, adding that an increase in business registrations could create additional job opportunities across the country.

The latest figures highlight the growing role of digital registration facilities in Pakistan’s corporate landscape, with the information technology and trading sectors accounting for the largest shares of new company registrations during October.