ISLAMABAD: The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) registered 2,595 new companies in March, showing a year-on-year 10 per cent growth.

The number of companies enrolled with SECP has swelled to 190,161.

The total paid-up capital of companies registered in March stood at Rs1.8 billion. About 58pc companies were registered as private limited firms, 39pc as single-member companies, and 3pc as public unlisted, not-for-profit associations and limited liability partnerships (LLP). Almost 99.69pc companies were registered online. 159 foreign users were registered from overseas.

As a result of the integration of SECP with the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and various provincial departments, 2,496 companies were registered with FBR for the generation of NTN, 71 companies with EOBI, 62 companies with PESSI/SESSI and 51 companies with excise and taxation department.

Foreign investment has been reported in 89 new companies, having foreign investors from Afgh­anistan, China, Denmark, Egypt, Germany, Indo­nesia, Korea South, Mala­ysia, Maldives, Nether­lands, Nigeria, Norway, Philippines, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Tajikistan, Turkey, UAE, UK and USA.

The major chunk of investment was received from China with 47 companies, Nigeria with five companies, Germany and Philippines with four each, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, the UK and the USA with three each, Afghanistan, Egypt and South Korea with two each and from other countries in 11 companies.

Published in Dawn, April 8th, 2023