Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan reports 79 new foreign companies and PKR 40.7 billion invested over three years

The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan issued a press release summarising foreign corporate investment and ownership activity in Pakistan, reporting that 79 new foreign companies commenced operations in the past three years and that foreign firms invested PKR 40.7 billion in key sectors. SECP records show 1,157 foreign companies are currently registered and operational, while 19 foreign companies exited the market over the same period. The release counted 61 shareholding transactions involving local entities, including 29 transfers to other foreign companies, four to foreign individual investors, 20 to local individual investors and eight to local corporate entities, and linked many of the transactions to multinational corporate restructuring. Examples cited included Wafi Energy’s acquisition of Shell Pakistan’s operations, PTA Global Holdings’ majority stake in Lotte Chemical Pakistan, Gunvor Group and Total Parco Limited taking equal stakes in TotalEnergies Pakistan, and Saudi Aramco buying a 40% stake in Gas & Oil Pakistan Limited, alongside DP World’s joint venture with the National Logistics Corporation and PTCL’s acquisition of Telenor Pakistan’s operations. SECP also highlighted selected new and planned commitments, including Kuwait-backed Raqami Digital Bank’s planned USD 100 million investment, an additional USD 60 million by Nestlé and more than USD 550 million in digital infrastructure investment by the Engro Jazz consortium, as well as China–Pakistan Economic Corridor Phase II business-to-business agreements worth more than USD 1.5 billion and memoranda of understanding exceeding USD 7 billion. Entry and exit data showed 31 foreign companies entering and six ceasing operations in 2023, 21 entering and nine exiting in 2024, and 27 new registrations and four closures in 2025, with further international partnership transactions described as being in the pipeline.