3,161 new companies were registered in May, taking the total number to over 297,000

Pakistan witnessed a significant increase in business activity last month. According to the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), 3,161 new companies were registered in the month of May, taking the total number of registered companies across the country to 297,239.

According to SECP data, 99.9 percent of the newly registered companies were registered online, reflecting the increasing use of digital facilities in the business environment.

At the provincial level, Punjab registered the highest number of companies with 1,643, followed by Islamabad with 596, Sindh with 479, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with 260, Gilgit-Baltistan with 112 and Balochistan with 71.

In the sector-wise analysis, the highest activity was observed in the information technology and e-commerce sector, where 598 new companies were established. 503 new companies were registered in the trading sector, 404 in services, 303 in real estate and construction and 206 in tourism and transport.

According to the SECP, investors from 17 different countries registered companies in Pakistan during May. 89 investors from China obtained directorships in various companies, while the paid-up capital of foreign investors was Rs 139.4 million.