The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) saw a robust increase in corporate registrations, adding 27,542 new companies during the fiscal year 2023-24, which brings the total registered entities to 222,697.Â
SECP’s data shows that 58% of these were set up as private limited companies, 39% as single member companies, and the remaining 3% included public unlisted companies, not-for-profit associations, guarantee limited companies, trade organizations, limited liability partnerships (LLPs), and foreign companies.
Most of the new registrations occurred online, with a remarkable 99.8% of companies choosing this method, demonstrating the effectiveness of Pakistan’s digital infrastructure for business incorporation.
Sector-wise, the information technology sector dominated with 4,129 new registrations, followed by trading (3,666), services (3,302), real estate development and construction (2,992), and tourism (1,346). Other sectors with notable new company formations included education (1,177), food and beverages (1,103), e-commerce (942), corporate agricultural farming (780), and marketing and advertisement (620).
In terms of foreign investment, 688 new companies reported international capital infusion, with China leading by a wide margin, investing in 393 companies.Â
Other contributors included the United States (34 companies), Afghanistan (32), the United Kingdom (27), and Germany (20). Smaller numbers came from the UAE (13), Australia and Turkey (10 each), and other countries contributing to various sectors across Pakistan.
Additionally, 31 foreign companies from diverse nations such as China, UAE, Turkey, Australia, Canada, Bahrain, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Hong Kong, South Korea, Norway, Saudi Arabia, and the United States established places of business in Pakistan, marking a robust year for international business expansion into the Pakistani market.
