SECP moves to revamp REIT rules to widen public access

October 1, 2026 (MLN): The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) is revamping regulations governing Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) to make them more accessible to investors and commercially viable, SECP Chairman Dr Kabir Ahmed Sidhu said on Thursday.

The reforms are aimed at bringing a larger share of Pakistan’s real estate sector into regulated structures and enabling the public to invest in the sector through REIT units, he said while addressing a gong ceremony at the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) to mark the listing of Naya Nazimabad Apartment REIT.

Dr Sidhu said Pakistan’s real estate sector is valued at more than Rs7 trillion, adding that REITs could help document the sector, improve transparency and provide ordinary investors exposure to real estate without requiring them to purchase an entire plot, apartment or building.

The SECP is also introducing investment facilitation measures and proposing amendments to various regulations to improve ease of doing business and support the development of the REIT market.

Proposed amendments to insurance and company laws are currently under consideration by Parliament, while changes have also been proposed to the regulatory framework governing the non-banking financial sector, he said.

Turning to capital-market activity, the SECP chairman said 13 initial public offerings (IPOs) had raised Rs26 billion so far in 2026, with companies from the manufacturing, agriculture, real estate, energy and technology sectors mobilising funds through the stock market.

The number of investors has increased by 36% following measures to improve market access, he said.

Dr Sidhu said digitalisation of the regulatory system, simplification of legal compliance and improved market access remain key priorities for the SECP.

The Commission is also continuing enforcement of applicable laws to strengthen market transparency and investor protection while facilitating businesses, innovation and sustainable capital-market growth.

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