79 In, 19 Out: Investors Bet on Pakistan, says SECP

February 24, 2026 (MLN): In a strong rebuttal to negative perceptions, the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) has revealed that 79 new foreign companies were registered in Pakistan between 2022 and 2025, while only 19 ceased operations during the same period.

This data indicates that new entrants outnumber exits by more than four to one.

The regulator clarified that widely cited media reports referring to 125 companies shutting down are misleading, as that figure represents the total number of foreign companies that have ceased operations since 1977, not just in recent years.

Foreign investors poured approximately Rs40.7 billion into Pakistan’s private sector over the past three years.

• 61 foreign companies executed share transactions

• 29 transferred shares to other foreign entities

  
  

Saudi oil giant Aramco acquired a 40% stake in Go Petroleum, while Wafi Energy purchased the operations of Shell Pakistan.

In logistics, DP World entered a joint venture with the National Logistics Corporation (NLC).

In the pharmaceutical sector, U.S.-based Pfizer sold its manufacturing plant to Lucky Core Industries.

SECP further disclosed that foreign investment flowed into 82 Pakistani companies in just the past month, originating from a diverse group of countries including China, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Australia, Turkey, Malaysia, South Korea, Denmark, South Africa, and Spain.

As of February 2026, a total of 1,157 foreign companies remain registered and operational in Pakistan, reflecting sustained international business confidence in the country’s regulatory environment.

The regulator noted that several additional foreign partnerships and investment agreements are currently in process, suggesting continued inflows in the near term.

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