The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) registered 277 companies in August, raising the total corporate portfolio to 59,761 companies. The private companies have the highest share in new incorporation: 257, followed by 16 single-member companies, 2 public unlisted companies and 2 non-profit associations.
Foreign investment by the nationals from the US, Australia, China, Sri Lanka, the UAE, Tanzania and Panama is witnessed in 8 new companies. As for the sector-wise breakdown, 34 companies belong to trading, followed by services with 32 companies, construction with 21, I.T. with 19, pharmaceuticals with 14, Hajj and Umrah services, and food and beverages with 12 each and tourism with 11 companies.
The Company Registration Office (CRO), Lahore, registered 102 followed by CROs in Islamabad and Karachi registering 69 and 67 companies, respectively. The CROs in Peshawar, Multan, Quetta and Faisalabad registered 15, 9, 8 and 7 companies, respectively.
The authorised capital and paid-up capital of these companies is Rs 3.7 billion and Rs 804.35 million, respectively. During the month, 32 companies increased their authorised capital with the aggregate authorised capital increment of Rs 3.43 billion and 63 companies raised their paid-up capital with the total paid-up capital increment amounting to Rs 7.27 billion.-PR