Foreign firms invest in Pakistan as 220 new companies registered with foreign shareholders. The SECP released data for January to March 2026 today. Total paid-up capital reached Rs. 657 million. That figure slightly exceeds last year’s Rs. 642 million. Foreign investment concentrated in key sectors. Trading, services, IT, construction, and mining attracted the most interest. Both traditional industries and emerging segments saw inflows.

Foreign firms invest in Pakistan across multiple regions. Punjab led with 50.2 percent of total incorporations. Islamabad followed at 19.0 percent. Sindh captured 15.5 percent with a strong 23 percent growth. Gilgit-Baltistan emerged as the fastest-growing region. The area posted a remarkable 97.8 percent increase. Business formalization is rising in emerging areas. Overall, 10,318 new companies registered during the quarter. That marks a 12.5 percent year-on-year increase.

Foreign firms invest in Pakistan’s IT sector most heavily. The sector led with 2,065 new companies or 20 percent of all registrations. Trading followed with 16.4 percent. Services captured 12.5 percent. Trading recorded the highest growth at 41.1 percent. Communications and healthcare also showed notable expansion. Private companies dominated registrations with a 58.6 percent share. Single-member companies followed at 37.9 percent. The SME sector continues expanding.

The SECP processed 95,823 corporate filings during the quarter. That represents a 27 percent increase from last year. Post-incorporation filings rose by 33 percent. The corporate ecosystem is maturing. Compliance levels are improving. Pakistan remains open for business.