10 May 2010
The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) registered 322 companies during the month of April, 2010, as compared to 254, 270 and 293 companies registered during Jan., Feb., and Mar., 2010, respectively. An increasing trend in incorporation of new companies has been witnessed for the last six months. The total corporate portfolio as on 31st April, 2010 comprises of 55,522 companies.
A total of 322 companies were incorporated during April, 2010 comprising 6 public unlisted companies, 298 private companies, 13 single member companies and 5 associations not for profit under Section 42 of the Companies Ordinance, 1984 (the Ordinance). Authorized capital and paid up capital of companies incorporated during April, 2010 amounted to Rs. 2,125.10 million and Rs. 604 million, respectively.
During April, 2010, highest number of companies was incorporated at Lahore, whereby 115 companies have been registered, followed by Islamabad and Karachi registering 91 and 75 companies respectively. Peshawar, Multan, and Faisalabad registered 14, 12, and 11 companies respectively, while Quetta and Sukkur registered 3 and 1 company respectively.
Major share of new incorporation during April, 2010, was observed in the trading sector whereby 47 companies were registered, followed by 38 in services, 30 in tourism, 27 in information technology, 20 in construction, 17 in communications, 16 in food and beverages 12 in pharmaceuticals, 10 each in education, power generation and textile sector.
During April, 2010, the SECP granted licences to 4 associations not for profit under Section 42 of the Ordinance. These 4 associations have been formed with the objects of charity, development and utilization of energy resources, policy analysis and developing strategy, and formation of an institute for rural management, respectively.
Of the 322 companies registered during April 2010, 17 companies have foreign investment. Foreign investors in these companies belong to U.S.A., U.K., China, South Korea, Netherlands, Syria, Uzbekistan, Canada, Panama, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, and Norway. Of these 17 companies, 3 companies are registered in construction, 2 companies each in food and beverages, information technology and communications, sector, one each in tourism, transport, healthcare, services, power generation, mining, pharmaceuticals, and trading sector