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KARACHI: The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) has announced a fee relief package to encourage unlisted companies to convert their physical shares into digital form.<\/strong><\/p>\n According to the regulator, companies with paid-up capital of up to Rs25 million will receive a one-year waiver on annual fees for digitising their shares. The SECP also announced that security deposits and conversion fees will be waived during the first year.<\/p>\n For companies with paid-up capital above Rs25 million, only the annual fee will be applicable, the SECP said.<\/p>\n The commission added that companies voluntarily converting their physical shares into digital form will also benefit from the fee relief.<\/p>\n The SECP has made it mandatory for unlisted companies to convert their physical shares into book-entry (digital) form. It said companies will also be required to digitise shares for corporate actions such as bonus issues, rights shares, and share buybacks.<\/p>\n The regulator stated that the move toward digital shares will help reduce disputes and make the system more efficient.<\/p>\n New company registrations in Pakistan recorded a 29 percent increase, reflecting improving investor confidence, according to the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP).<\/p>\n During the first six months of the current fiscal year, a total of 21,668 new companies were registered across Pakistan. These companies collectively generated paid-up capital of Rs30.7 billion, the SECP reported.<\/p>\n With these additions, the total number of registered companies in Pakistan has risen to 279,724.<\/p>\n The IT and e-commerce sector led the growth, with 4,277 new companies registered, making it the most active segment during the period.<\/p>\n According to the SECP spokesperson, 524 newly registered companies included foreign investment, amounting to Rs1.26 billion.<\/p>\n In terms of country-wise contribution, China topped the list, accounting for 71 percent of total foreign investment in new companies, the SECP said.<\/p>\n Officials say the upward trend indicates growing trust in Pakistan\u2019s regulatory framework and improving ease of doing business, particularly in technology-driven sectors.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nPakistan Sees 29% Surge In New Company Registrations: SECP<\/strong><\/h2>\n