SECP Registers 5,003 New Companies in October
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.
The commission said 99.9 per cent of the new companies were registered online. Private limited companies made up the largest share, at 55.4 per cent, followed by single member companies at 41.6 per cent.
Punjab leads new registrations
Punjab recorded the highest number of new registrations, with 2,663 companies. Islamabad followed with 934, and Sindh with 751. Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa recorded 382 new companies, Gilgit-Baltistan 162, and Balochistan 111.
The spread shows that company formation remains concentrated in Punjab and the federal capital, which together accounted for more than seven in ten new registrations. Sindh, despite Karachi’s size as a commercial centre, recorded fewer than a third of Punjab’s total.
IT leads the 5,003 new companies
The information technology sector remained the top choice for new registrations in October. A total of 991 companies were registered in information technology, followed by 767 in trading, 594 in services, and 295 in construction.
The food and beverages sector saw 219 new companies, tourism 213, and real estate 170. The IT lead is consistent with Pakistan’s push to grow its technology exports and freelance economy, where small firms and startups register to formalise their work and open bank accounts.
Among the companies registered in October, 173 foreign investors became directors. Women’s participation in companies as shareholders and directors stood at 13 per cent.
Slight dip from September
October’s figure was a little lower than the month before. The SECP had registered 5,241 new companies in September, so October’s 5,003 was 238 fewer, a fall of about 4.5 per cent. The total number of registered companies still rose, because registrations add to the existing base each month.
A single month’s dip does not change the direction of travel. Company registrations have become a regular gauge of business sentiment in Pakistan, and the sustained pace of around 5,000 a month points to steady formalisation of small businesses.
SECP Chairman Dr Kabir Ahmed Sidhu said the increase in company registrations reflected growing investment in the country. He said the commission was digitalising corporate compliance to make doing business easier, and that the more new companies were formed, the more employment opportunities would be created.
Registration now almost entirely online
Nearly all new registrations, 99.9 per cent, were completed online through the SECP’s eZfile portal, supported by integrations with federal and provincial systems. The portal lets founders file incorporation documents, pay fees and receive certificates without visiting an SECP office.
That shift matters for founders outside the big cities. A business in Gilgit-Baltistan or Balochistan can now register on the same terms as one in Lahore or Islamabad, which helps explain why registrations are appearing from every province, even if the numbers remain small in the more remote regions.
The SECP has also been tightening the rules around investment schemes, with new rules for fake investment schemes issued recently. The combination of easier registration and stricter enforcement is the regulator’s attempt to bring more businesses into the formal economy while keeping fraud out of it.
The figures come at a time of mixed signals for the wider economy. Pakistan’s exports to Europe dipped despite GSP+, the gold price rose Rs9,600 per tola this week, and the stock market has been strong, with the PSX rally adding 3,450 points to the KSE-100. The investor base is also widening: the number of PSX investors reached 681,965 in October. ProPakistani reported the SECP figures on Thursday.
Frequently asked questions
How many new companies did the SECP register in October?
The SECP registered 5,003 new companies in October 2026, taking the total number of registered companies in Pakistan to 321,794.
Which sector led new company registrations?
Information technology led with 991 new companies, followed by trading with 767 and services with 594.
Which province recorded the most new companies?
Punjab led with 2,663 new registrations, followed by Islamabad with 934 and Sindh with 751.
How many registrations were completed online?
Almost all of them: 99.9 per cent were registered online through the SECP’s eZfile portal.
How does October compare with September?
October’s 5,003 registrations were 238 fewer than September’s 5,241, a fall of about 4.5 per cent.
