Corporate & Business
Company Registration in PakistanSECP incorporation done properly, the first time.
Registering a company in Pakistan is, on paper, a fairly mechanical process handled through SECP's eServices portal. In practice, founders get tripped up on name reservation, choosing the wrong structure, drafting a memorandum and articles of association that don't reflect how they actually intend to run the business, or missing follow-on registrations that quietly become penalties six months later.
We handle company registration for clients across Karachi and Pakistan more broadly — from single member companies (SMCs) for solo founders, to private limited companies for startups and family businesses, to limited liability partnerships and associations of persons where that structure fits better than a company. The right structure depends on liability exposure, tax treatment, whether you plan to raise investment, and how ownership will be split.
Our role does not end at the SECP incorporation certificate. A company that is registered but has no NTN, no bank account, no statutory registers and no board resolutions on file is not actually ready to operate. We set clients up so that the entity is functional from day one, not just legally existent on paper.
Who this is for
Who needs this service
Anyone raising a seed round or bringing on co-founders needs a private limited company with a shareholders agreement that matches what was actually agreed, not a generic template.
Businesses that have run informally for years often need to incorporate to open corporate bank accounts, bid on tenders, or bring in the next generation as documented shareholders.
An SMC gives limited liability and a more credible invoicing entity for clients who require a company, without the governance overhead of multiple directors.
Setting up a Pakistani subsidiary or branch involves additional SECP and State Bank filings that need to be sequenced correctly from the outset.
Businesses outgrowing a partnership structure for liability or credibility reasons need the conversion and asset transfer handled with proper documentation.
Problems we solve
What we take off your desk
- Name reservation gets rejected or the reserved name conflicts with an existing trademark
- Memorandum of association objects clause is drafted too narrowly and blocks future business lines
- Shareholding and director structure doesn't match the actual understanding between founders
- Company gets incorporated but never obtains an NTN, so it cannot open a bank account or issue invoices
- Statutory registers, share certificates and board resolutions are never prepared, creating problems at the first audit or investment round
- Annual filings (Form A, Form 29, annual return) are missed after incorporation, leading to SECP penalties and eventual risk of the company being struck off
How it works
Our process, start to finish
Structure and name check
We confirm whether an SMC, private limited company, or LLP fits your situation, and run a name availability check on the SECP portal before reservation.
Drafting incorporation documents
We prepare the memorandum and articles of association, subscriber details, and registered office information tailored to your business, not a boilerplate template.
SECP filing and follow-up
We file through SECP eServices, respond to any examiner queries, and obtain the certificate of incorporation.
Post-incorporation setup
We register the NTN with FBR IRIS, assist with bank account opening documentation, and prepare initial board resolutions and statutory registers.
What we need from you
Documents typically required
- CNICs of all proposed directors and shareholders
- Proposed company name (with two to three alternatives)
- Registered office address in Pakistan
- Details of authorised and paid-up share capital
- Proposed objects of the business
- Passport and visa details for any foreign directors
- Board resolution or consent letters where a corporate shareholder is involved
- Email and mobile number for SECP correspondence
If a document is missing, tell us — in most matters we can work from what you have and obtain the rest on your behalf.
Incorporating from Karachi, operating across Pakistan
Most of our incorporation clients are based in Karachi — SITE, Korangi, Clifton, DHA and businesses along I.I. Chundrigar Road — but SECP registration itself is a federal process and the entity can operate anywhere in Pakistan. What matters locally is getting the registered office address, bank account opening, and Sindh Revenue Board registrations (where the business involves services) aligned from the start so there's no scramble later.
We also see a fair number of founders who register a company while still finalising office space, which is fine, but it means the registered office and correspondence address need to be tracked and updated with SECP once the business moves, otherwise notices and reminders go to the wrong place.
Incorporation timelines and what comes after
Under the Companies Act 2017, incorporation through SECP eServices is generally quick once documents are complete — name reservation and incorporation together typically move faster than most founders expect, though foreign shareholding or corporate subscribers add a step. The certificate of incorporation is the starting point, not the finish line.
Every company then has ongoing SECP obligations: annual filing of Form A (annual return) and financial statements, notifying changes in directors or registered office through Form 29, and holding statutory meetings where required. We build a compliance calendar for clients at the outset so these deadlines don't get missed, since penalties accrue per day of default and can compound quickly.
How we work and common mistakes we fix
The most common mistake we see is founders incorporating a company themselves using a generic template memorandum, then discovering a year later that the objects clause doesn't cover what they're actually doing, or that share transfer restrictions were never included and a co-founder dispute has no contractual mechanism to resolve it. Fixing this after the fact costs more than getting it right at incorporation.
We quote fees upfront for the full incorporation package — SECP filing, drafting, and post-incorporation NTN registration — before starting any work, so there are no surprises partway through. Where additional filings are needed later, such as increasing share capital or amending the memorandum, we scope and quote those separately as they come up.
Questions clients ask
Frequently asked questions
- How long does SECP company registration take?
- Once documents are complete and there are no name conflicts, incorporation through SECP eServices typically moves quickly, often within a few working days. Corporate shareholders, foreign directors, or unusual objects clauses can extend this timeline.
- Should I register a private limited company or an SMC?
- An SMC works well for a solo founder who wants limited liability without the governance requirements of multiple directors. A private limited company suits businesses with co-founders, investors, or plans to raise external funding.
- Do I need an NTN separately after SECP incorporation?
- Yes. SECP incorporation and FBR NTN registration are separate processes, and a company cannot open a bank account or issue tax invoices without an NTN. We handle both together so there's no gap.
- Can a foreign national be a director of a Pakistani company?
- Yes, foreign nationals can be directors and shareholders, though additional documentation such as passport copies and, in some cases, State Bank of Pakistan reporting for foreign investment applies.
- What happens if I miss SECP's annual filing?
- SECP levies penalties for late filing of the annual return and financial statements, and persistent non-compliance can lead to the company being flagged or eventually struck off the register. We recommend setting up a compliance calendar right after incorporation.
- Can an existing partnership or AOP be converted into a company?
- Yes, this is a common conversion we handle, involving fresh incorporation, transfer of business assets and contracts, and closing out the AOP's tax registrations in an orderly sequence.
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