KARACHI (Web Desk) - Foreign investment in Pakistan’s corporate sector remained stable in the first quarter of 2026, while new company registrations rose sharply, the country’s top market regulator said on Saturday, signaling continued business expansion despite economic challenges.
The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) said 220 companies with foreign shareholders were registered between January and March, with total paid-up capital reaching Rs 657 million ($2.36 million), slightly higher than Rs 642 million ($2.31 million) recorded in the same period last year.
“Foreign investment remained concentrated in key sectors including trading, services, IT, construction, and mining, indicating investor interest in both traditional and emerging areas of the economy,” it said in a statement.
“The overall pattern suggests stable foreign inflows contributing to Pakistan’s corporate growth and increasing integration with global markets.”
SECP said corporate activity picked up during the quarter, with an overall registration of 10,318 new companies, marking a 12.5 percent increase from a year earlier.
Private companies accounted for the majority of incorporations, followed by single-member firms, reflecting continued expansion of the small and medium enterprise sector.
It maintained the growth was driven largely by high-activity sectors, with IT and e-commerce leading registrations, followed by trading and services.
SECP reported a surge in compliance activity, with nearly 96,000 corporate filings processed during the quarter, up 27 percent from a year earlier, alongside a rise in post-incorporation filings, suggesting a maturing corporate environment.
Separately, the Secured Transactions Registry recorded over 6,000 financing statements and more than 5,000 searches, reflecting ongoing efforts to improve access to credit and support financial inclusion.