SECP marks nearly 40,000 non-filing companies inactive

October 31, 2026 (MLN): The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) has marked 39,704 companies “Inactive by Registrar” for failing to file annual returns and/or financial statements for four years.

The commission said the step will make the corporate register more reliable and help prevent dormant companies from being misused, according to a press release issued.

The inactive status will appear in the SECP’s system and be visible to banks and other stakeholders.

These companies will not be able to open new bank accounts, access financial services or register changes in their directors until they file their overdue documents and regain active status.

By location, the inactive companies include 13,927 in Lahore, 13,859 in Islamabad, 4,868 in Karachi, 2,031 in Peshawar, 1,861 in Multan, 1,384 in Faisalabad, 1,102 in Gilgit, 436 in Quetta and 236 in Sukkur.

The SECP said filing annual returns and, where required, financial statements is a legal requirement under the Companies Act, 2017, and keeps public information on companies, their ownership and management current.

It said prolonged non-filing weakens the corporate register and can hinder efforts to curb money laundering and terrorist financing.

The register continues to grow, with 317,002 companies registered at the end of September 2026.

The SECP registered 43,559 new companies in the previous financial year, 24% more than a year earlier.

Name reservation and incorporation are now fully digital, with 99.9% of new companies registered online.

SECP Chairman Dr Kabir Ahmed Sidhu said a clean and credible registry is the foundation of trust in the corporate sector, adding that the commission is protecting the integrity of the financial system while giving companies a clear chance to return to compliance.

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