ISLAMABAD: The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) registered 2,539 new companies in May 2023, bringing the total number of registered companies to 194,466.

The total paid-up capital (capitalization) of the companies incorporated in February was Rs2.7 billion. Approximately 57 percent of businesses were registered as private limited companies, 40 percent as single-member businesses, and 3% as Limited Liability Partnerships (LLP), not-for-profit organizations, and unlisted public companies. Nearly 99.7% of businesses registered online. The new registrations include 65 foreign applicants.

The Information Technology sector took the lead with the incorporation of with 407 companies, followed by trading with 339, real estate development and construction sector with 331, and services with 287 companies. Likewise, 112 companies were incorporated in the food and beverage sector; 102 in the tourism sector; 81 in the education sector; and 66 in the e-commerce sector. 814 companies were incorporated in other sectors.

As a result of integration of SECP with FBR and various provincial departments, 2,439 companies were registered with FBR for registration of NTN, 63 companies with EOBI, 46 companies with PESSI/SESSI and 57 companies with excise and taxation department.

Foreign investment has been reported in 81 new companies, having foreign investors from Afghanistan, Australia, China, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Romania, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Thailand, Turkey, UAE, UK and the US. Major chunk of investment was received from China with 47 companies, UK with 05 companies, US with 04 companies, Turkey and Afghanistan with 03 companies each, Indonesia, Russia, UAE, Thailand with 02 companies each, and 11 companies from other countries.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023