Islamabad, February 23, 2026 — The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) has confirmed that 1,157 foreign companies remain registered with the commission as of February 2026, highlighting sustained foreign business presence and continued confidence in Pakistan’s regulatory framework.
In an official statement, the SECP clarified that some recent media reports misinterpreted data related to foreign companies that have ceased operations. “These reports do not reflect the factual position, particularly regarding the year of cessation,” the commission noted. The SECP’s published list clearly specifies the year each company ceased operations, ensuring transparency and accuracy.
The SECP further stated that only 19 foreign companies ceased operations in Pakistan between 2022 and 2025, while 79 new foreign companies were registered during the same period. The media-referenced figure of 125 companies pertains to all foreign companies that have ceased operations since 1977, not the past three years alone.
The SECP also highlighted robust foreign investment activity in recent months. In the last month alone, 82 local companies received foreign investments from multiple jurisdictions, including China, the United States, Australia, Turkey, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Denmark, Germany, Malaysia, South Korea, and Spain.
The commission emphasized that these developments underscore Pakistan’s ongoing appeal to international investors and the effectiveness of its regulatory environment in supporting foreign business operations.