SECP registers record 2,864 new companies in July

ISLAMABAD: The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) announced on Monday that it registered 2,864 new companies in July 2024, marking a 25 per cent increase from the same month last year.

This figure represents the highest number of companies ever registered in a single month, bringing the total number of registered companies to 225,561.

Of the new companies, 58 per cent were registered as private limited entities, while 39 per cent were single-member companies. The remaining 39 per cent included public unlisted companies, not-for-profit associations, trade organizations, and limited liability partnerships. Notably, 99.8 per cent of these companies were registered online.

The IT sector led the way with the incorporation of 471 companies, followed by trading with 364, and services with 362. Other sectors showing significant growth included real-estate development and construction with 284, tourism with 164, and food and beverages with 139.

E-commerce saw 120 new registrations, while education and textile had 111 and 65, respectively. Other sectors included marketing and advertising (64), corporate agricultural farming (63), chemical (53), and healthcare, and power generation with 51 each.

Additionally, the cosmetics and toiletries sector, along with mining and quarrying, each saw 47 new companies. The fuel and energy sector had 46 new companies, followed by engineering with 43, and pharmaceuticals with 40. The transport sector saw 32 new registrations, while auto and allied industries had 27.

Communications registered 23 new companies, cables and electric goods 22, and arts and culture 18. Paper and board, along with sports-allied sectors, each had 17 new companies, with logging adding 16. An additional 107 companies were registered in various other sectors.

Foreign investment significantly contributed to the surge, with 86 new companies securing funds from international investors. China was the largest contributor, investing in 64 companies. Turkey followed with investments in three companies, while Afghanistan and the UK each invested in two. Investors from Australia, Canada, the US, Antigua and Barbuda, Azerbaijan, Germany, Greece, Iraq, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Qatar, Russia, Sri Lanka, and Zambia each invested in one company.