ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has made significant progress in modernizing its regulatory system, improving transparency, anti-money laundering controls, and ease of doing business, officials say.
At the forefront of these reforms is the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), which was named the country’s “Reforms Champion” by the Prime Minister in December 2025 under the National Regulatory Reforms initiative. This recognition highlights SECP’s role in improving corporate governance, promoting digital transformation, and aligning Pakistan’s corporate regulations with international standards.
A major achievement is SECP’s digital one-window registration system, eZfile, which now integrates services from the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), Nadra, EOBI, and provincial labour and excise departments. Through eZfile, companies can get real-time verifications, unified digital certificates, and complete registration faster. The system’s connection with banks also reduces the time needed to open corporate accounts, making it easier for businesses to start operations.
In 2024–25, SECP introduced the Corporate Ultimate Beneficial Owner (UBO) Registry, following OECD and FATF standards, to improve transparency about who really owns companies and prevent misuse of corporate structures.
SECP also strengthened oversight with a risk-based supervision framework, nationwide training programs, and close coordination with the Financial Monitoring Unit, IMF, and other national and international organizations. Disclosure and governance rules for listed companies were strictly enforced under corporate and securities laws.
The results are clear: Pakistan ranked 6th out of 50 economies in the World Bank’s 2024 Business Ready report for business entry and topped a World Bank–IFC survey on digital government-to-business services. Since 2020, company registrations have increased by 51 percent, with over 35,000 new companies registered in 2024–25 alone.
Officials say these reforms have boosted Pakistan’s global reputation, improved regulatory transparency, and created a more efficient, investor-friendly business environment, supporting long-term economic growth.
