ISLAMABAD: The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) said this week it registered over 21,600 new companies in the first half of the current fiscal year, reflecting rising investor confidence and positive economic outlook in the country. 

In a report issued on Jan. 6, the SECP said it registered 21,668 companies in the first six months of the current fiscal year, adding that these incorporations contributed Rs30.7 billion [$109.5 million] in paid-up capital. 

The report said this represented a 29 percent increase compared to the 16,839 companies registered during the same period last year.

“Pakistan’s business landscape continues to demonstrate strong momentum, reflecting rising investor confidence and a positive economic outlook,” the SECP report said. 

The SECP said the latest increase has brought the total number of registered companies in Pakistan to 279,724. It said the top ten sectors by incorporations were led by the IT & e-commerce, with 4,277 companies, followed by trading (2,997 companies), services (2,686 companies) and real estate (2,031 companies). 

“This sectoral diversity highlights expanding entrepreneurial activity, particularly in technology-driven and service-oriented industries,” the report said. 

The SECP said foreign investment also remained “robust” during the period, adding that 524 newly incorporated companies received foreign investment amounting to Rs1.26 billion [$4.5 million] with the participation from 731 foreign investors. 

“China emerged as the leading source, accounting for 71 percent of total inflows,” the SECP said. “It was followed by Afghanistan (8 percent), the United States (2 percent), and the United Kingdom, Germany, South
Africa, South Korea, Norway, Vietnam, Nigeria, and Bangladesh, each contributing 1 percent,” it added. 

The SECP said an additional 11 percent of the investment originated from other countries.