SECP Registers 5,241 New Companies Across Pakistan
Capital accounts for 19.2% of Pakistan's 5,241 new company registrations as IT leads nationwide incorporations and online registration reaches 99.9%.
ISLAMABAD, October 9, 2026: Islamabad Capital Territory recorded 1,009 new company registrations in September 2026, securing second position nationwide, according to the latest figures released by the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP).
The commission reported that 5,241 new companies were registered across Pakistan during the month, bringing the total number of registered companies to 317,002. Islamabad contributed 19.2% of the new registrations, placing it behind Punjab, which accounted for the largest share.
Islamabad Sees Nearly 20% Monthly Increase
The latest figures indicate an increase in company registrations in the federal capital compared with August 2026, when 843 companies were registered.
With 1,009 registrations in September, Islamabad recorded 166 additional incorporations, representing a month-on-month increase of approximately 19.7%.
Nationally, new company registrations increased from 4,761 in August to 5,241 in September, an increase of approximately 10.1%.
Punjab Leads Nationwide Registrations
According to the SECP’s regional breakdown, Punjab topped the list with 2,740 new companies, accounting for 52.3% of the national total.
Islamabad followed with 1,009 registrations, while Sindh recorded 790 and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa registered 428 companies.
Gilgit-Baltistan accounted for 169 registrations, followed by Balochistan with 105.
IT Sector Dominates New Company Registrations
The information technology sector recorded the highest number of new incorporations nationwide, with 920 companies registered during September.
Trading followed with 808 new companies, while the services sector recorded 599 registrations.
Construction accounted for 339 companies, followed by food and beverages with 239, tourism with 222 and real estate development with 193.
The education sector recorded 189 registrations, e-commerce accounted for 179, and mining and quarrying added 127 companies.
Another 1,426 companies were registered across other economic sectors.
These figures reflect the nationwide sectoral distribution and do not separately identify the industries of Islamabad’s newly registered companies.
Nearly All Companies Registered Online
The SECP reported that 99.9% of September’s company registrations were completed online through its eZfile portal and integrated federal and provincial systems.
Private limited companies represented the largest category, with 3,013 registrations, accounting for 57.5% of the monthly total.
Another 2,058 single-member companies were incorporated, representing 39.2%.
The regulator also registered 127 limited liability partnerships, 29 Section 42 not-for-profit companies, 10 public companies, two trade organisations and two foreign companies.
China Leads Foreign Investor Participation
Foreign investors participated in newly incorporated companies during September, with the SECP recording 167 foreign investors from various countries.
China accounted for the largest number, with 113 investors, followed by the United States with seven, the United Kingdom with six and Hong Kong with five.
Singapore and Saudi Arabia each accounted for three investors.
The commission reported that 10 of the foreign investors were corporate entities, while the remainder were individual investors.
The figures reflect investor participation in new incorporations rather than the monetary value of foreign direct investment.
Women’s Representation Remains Limited
The SECP’s gender-disaggregated figures showed that women accounted for 14% of shareholders and directors associated with the reported registrations.
Women’s representation among ultimate beneficial owners stood at 11%, while their share among chief executives was 8%.
The statistics highlight a continued gap in female participation in corporate ownership and senior business leadership.
SECP Chairman Emphasises Business Formalisation
SECP Chairman Dr Kabir Ahmed Sidhu said company incorporation was an important step towards developing a formal and documented economy.
He stated that the commission was working to simplify registration procedures and make company formation more accessible to entrepreneurs.
The latest figures demonstrate continued activity in formal business registrations, particularly in Islamabad and Pakistan’s technology sector.
However, company registration statistics alone do not establish the number of businesses that have commenced operations, the investment attracted or employment generated.
Source: Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), company registration statistics for August and September 2026.
