The
Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan has registered 920 new companies in the first quarter of 2005. The
Company Registration Office at Lahore registered the most number of companies at 324, CRO Karachi 285 companies, and CRO Islamabad 211 companies. Of the 920 companies, 898 were limited by shares comprising 21 public unlisted companies, 840 private companies, and 37 single member companies. In addition, the commission also registered 11 foreign companies, 9 associations not-for-profit and 2 companies limited by guarantee. Total authorized capital and paid up capital of the companies limited by shares amounted to Rs.50 billion and Rs.2 billion, respectively. The services sector recorded 161 new incorporations, followed by 121 in trading, 64 in Information Technology, 59 in communication, 50 in fuel and energy, 49 in the real estate development, 38 in construction and 37 in textile sector. The SECP encourages and facilitates corporatisation of all businesses so that the corporate sector contributes towards the economic development of the country.In July 2025,
Microsoft announced the closure of its limited operations in
Pakistan after 25 years, citing global restructuring and a shift to a partner-led, cloud-first model. The decision, part of a broader
layoff of over 9,000 employees worldwide, was seen by analysts as a troubling signal of declining investor confidence and operational challenges in Pakistan. Stakeholders noted that the move reflects growing concerns among multinational corporations over security, regulatory instability, and the overall business environment in the country. As of 2005, the
Board of Investment [https://web.archive.org/web/20061002104316/http://www.pakboi.gov.pk/Useful_Links/registered_companies.html estimates that there were 43,965 corporate enterprises registered in Pakistan as detailed below: == Issues ==