Company registrations rise 11% in March as SECP adds 2,993 new firms

The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) registered 2,993 new companies in March 2026, reflecting an 11% increase compared to the same month last year and pushing the total number of registered firms in the country to 290,041, according to official data released on Monday.

The newly incorporated companies reported a combined paid-up capital of Rs2.80 billion, indicating continued business formation and investment activity across multiple sectors.

Sector-wise, the information technology and e-commerce segment remained the leading contributor, with 606 new companies registered during the month. This was followed by trading, services, and construction and real estate, while additional activity was recorded in tourism and transport, food and beverages, education, textiles, mining, agriculture, marketing, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and energy.

In terms of geographical distribution, Punjab accounted for the largest share with 1,488 new companies, followed by Islamabad Capital Territory with 552, Sindh with 447, Gilgit-Baltistan with 233, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with 224, and Balochistan with 49.

The SECP said private limited companies represented 57% of total registrations, while single-member companies accounted for 39%. The remaining share comprised public unlisted companies, non-profit organisations, and limited liability partnerships.

The regulator also highlighted that around 99.9% of company registrations were completed online through its eZfile system, underscoring continued digitalisation of regulatory processes.

Foreign participation remained stable during the period, with 58 newly registered companies reporting overseas investment, including investors from China, Afghanistan, the United Kingdom, Russia, and Germany, among others.