ISLAMABAD: The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), during the fiscal year 2014-15, registered 5,001 new companies. As compared with corresponding period of last fiscal year (2013-14), a growth of 9 percent has been witnessed. This has raised the total number of registered companies to 67,623.

The trend witnessed in formation of companies was that approximately 90 percent companies have been registered as private limited companies, 6 percent were registered as single-member companies, 4 percent were registered as public unlisted, non-profit associations, under section 43, trade organizations and foreign companies.

The services sector took a lead with the incorporation of 635 companies, followed by trading with 578, information technology with 480, tourism with 401, construction with 333, corporate agricultural farming with 198, education with 167, fuel and energy with 149, food and beverages with 144, communications and power generation with 142, textile with 121, pharmaceutical with 116, real estate development with 115, broadcasting and telecasting with 107, engineering with 106 companies.

Foreign investment has been reported in 243 new companies. These companies have foreign investors from Afghanistan, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cameron, Canada, China, Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Macedonia, Mauritius, Morocco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, North Korea, Norway, Oman, Palestine, Panama, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Turkey, Turkmenistan, UAE, UK and the US.

Moreover, 42 foreign companies from Australia, Bahrain, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, theNetherlands, Singapore, Switzerland, Turkey, UAE, UK and the USA registered in Pakistan during last fiscal.  These companies are mainly engaged in the field of engineering, pharmaceutical, services, power generation, construction, education, trading, chemical, fuel and energy, food and beverages, textile, transport and cable and electric goods.

In the last fiscal year, returns for an increase in the authorized capital of 1,392 companies were filed, with the total authorized capital increment of Rs. 434 billion. In addition, 1,415 companies filed returns for increase in the paid-up capital with the total increment amounting to Rs. 132 billion.

In June, the SECP registered 474 new companies. Eighty-nine percent of the companies were registered as private limited companies, and returns for an increase in the authorized capital of 192 companies were accepted, with the total authorized capital increment of Rs36 billion. In addition, 189 companies filed returns for increase in the paid-up capital with the total increment of Rs10 billion.