The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) registered 4,761 new companies in August 2026, taking the total number of registered companies in the country to 311,765.
According to the SECP, almost all new registrations were completed through its online system. Around 99.9 percent of companies were registered online during the month. The regulator said that three foreign companies also entered the Pakistani market during August.
The new registrations came from different sectors of the economy. Private companies made up the largest group, with 2,762 new registrations. Another 1,846 companies were registered as single-member companies, showing continued interest in small and individually owned businesses.
The information technology (IT) sector recorded the highest number of new companies. A total of 872 companies were registered in the sector during August.
The trading sector followed with 732 new companies, while the services sector recorded 601 registrations. The construction sector also showed activity, with 295 new companies registered during the month.
The tourism sector added another 232 companies to the country’s business community.
Punjab recorded the highest number of new company registrations in August. The province registered 2,547 new companies, making up more than half of the total registrations during the month.
Islamabad ranked second with 843 new companies, followed by Sindh with 702 and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with 407 registrations.
Other parts of the country also recorded new business activity. Gilgit-Baltistan registered 151 companies, while Balochistan recorded 111 new companies during August.
The SECP also said that foreign investors continued to show interest in Pakistan. A total of 134 foreign investors invested in newly registered companies during the month.
Among them, 106 investors were from China, making Chinese investors the largest group of foreign investors in newly registered companies during August.
The SECP chairman said the increase in company registrations reflects growing business confidence and the rapid shift towards digital services.
The high number of online registrations also shows that digital systems are making it easier for people to start and register businesses in Pakistan.
The latest figures indicate continued activity in Pakistan’s business sector, particularly in areas such as IT, trading, services, construction and tourism. The increase in foreign investment also suggests that international investors continue to see opportunities in the Pakistani market.
