Pakistan’s total number of registered companies reaches 321,794, with IT leading new incorporations and nearly all registrations completed digitally.
The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) registered 5,003 new companies in October 2026, taking the total number of registered businesses in the country to 321,794.
According to the SECP, its eZfile digital registration system, integrated with federal and provincial departments, facilitated 99.9% of new incorporations through online procedures, highlighting the growing adoption of digital services for business registration.
Private limited companies dominated the newly registered entities, accounting for 2,773 incorporations, or 55.4% of the total. Single member companies followed with 2,079 registrations, representing 41.6%.
The remaining registrations comprised 105 limited liability partnerships (LLPs), 39 not-for-profit companies registered under Section 42, and seven other entities, including four public companies, two foreign companies and one trade organisation.
Punjab maintained its position as the leading region for new company registrations, recording 2,663 incorporations, equivalent to 53.2% of the total. Islamabad Capital Territory followed with 934 registrations, while Sindh registered 751 companies.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa recorded 382 new companies, followed by Gilgit-Baltistan with 162 and Balochistan with 111 registrations.
The information technology sector emerged as the largest contributor to new business registrations, with 991 companies incorporated during the month. Trading ranked second with 767 registrations, followed by services with 594.
Other sectors attracting new businesses included construction, food and beverages, tourism, real estate development, e-commerce, education and textiles. Additionally, 1,319 companies were registered across various other sectors.
Foreign investment participation was also reflected in the latest registrations, with 173 investors from different countries joining newly incorporated businesses. China led with 129 investors, followed by Germany with six, the United States with five and the United Kingdom with three.
Turkey, Canada, Brazil, Afghanistan, Nigeria, Hong Kong, the United Arab Emirates and the Netherlands each recorded two investors, while 14 investors represented other countries. Among the foreign participants, five were corporate entities and 168 were individual investors.
Gender-related statistics showed that males continued to hold the majority across shareholders, ultimate beneficial owners (UBOs), directors and chief executives. Female representation stood at 13% among shareholders and directors, 11% among UBOs and 8% among chief executives.
The October figures highlight continued business formalisation in Pakistan, alongside increasing reliance on digital incorporation services and growing participation across multiple economic sectors.