What actually happens between deciding to start a company and holding a registered one.
By LISORBIS Editorial Team · Published August 2026 · Last reviewed August 2026
Registering a company in Pakistan runs through the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), and for most founders the process is more procedural than complicated — provided each step is done in the right order. It starts with reserving a company name through SECP's e-Services portal, which checks your proposed name against the existing register before you invest time in anything else.
Once the name is cleared, the next step is preparing the Memorandum and Articles of Association — the documents that define what the company does and how it's governed internally. These are filed alongside the incorporation application, together with details of directors, shareholders, and the registered office address. For companies with shareholders or directors based outside Pakistan, additional identity and address documentation is required at this stage, which is where filings most often get delayed if it isn't prepared in advance.
After SECP approves the application and issues the Certificate of Incorporation, the company still isn't fully operational. It needs a National Tax Number (NTN) from the Federal Board of Revenue, a corporate bank account, and — depending on the business — sector-specific licensing before it can actually trade. Founders who treat incorporation as the finish line rather than the starting point are usually the ones who run into avoidable compliance problems in year one.
This article is general information current as of the review date above and is not legal advice for any specific matter. Laws and regulations referenced may change — contact us to confirm current requirements before acting on this content.