SECP says reports of a foreign company exodus are misleading, citing only 19 exits and 79 new registrations between 2022 and 2025, with strong interest in 2026.
Regulator Calls Foreign Exit Reports Misleading
The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) has strongly rejected media claims that foreign companies are leaving Pakistan in large numbers. In a statement issued on Monday, the corporate regulator described the stories as being based on data that has been “maliciously misrepresented” and taken out of context.
Officials said that the impression of a mass exodus is not supported by facts on record. They argued that selective use of figures, without reference to time periods or total registrations, has created unnecessary alarm about the health of foreign investment in Pakistan. The SECP has urged stakeholders to rely on verified information available on its official website rather than unsubstantiated narratives.
Actual Data Shows More New Entrants Than Exits
According to the SECP, only 19 foreign companies wound up their operations in Pakistan between 2022 and 2025. During the same period, 79 new foreign companies were registered, indicating a net increase in foreign corporate presence. Officials say this pattern shows that while some firms naturally exit over time, new players continue to enter the market.
At present, a total of 1,157 foreign companies are registered in Pakistan across various sectors of the economy. These include firms from manufacturing, services, technology, energy and other industries. The regulator says this number reflects a broad base of international businesses that continue to see opportunities in the Pakistani market.
SECP insiders note that in any country, company closures and new registrations are part of normal business cycles. Firms may decide to exit due to changes in group strategy, global restructuring, mergers, or market-specific factors. They stress that such movements must be assessed alongside new incorporations to give an accurate picture of investor sentiment.
Historic Closure Numbers Taken Out of Context
The controversy appears to stem from the use of a figure of 125 foreign company closures that has been quoted in some reports as if it relates only to recent years. SECP officials clarified that this number actually represents the total count of foreign companies that have closed since 1977, covering several decades rather than the 2022–2025 period alone.
They pointed out that the regulator’s website clearly lists each company together with the year in which it was wound up. Anyone reviewing the data can therefore see that the closures are spread over a long timeframe. By ignoring the dates and presenting the combined number as a recent phenomenon, critics have created what the SECP describes as a distorted view of the investment climate.
The Commission says it regularly publishes information on company registration and closure to promote transparency. It has encouraged analysts, journalists and commentators to examine the full context of the statistics before drawing conclusions about trends in foreign investment.
Investor Interest Continues Into 2026
SECP officials also highlighted evidence of ongoing investor interest in the Pakistani market. They said that in January 2026 alone, foreign investors made investments in 82 Pakistani companies. These inflows came from a diverse set of countries, including China, the United States, the United Kingdom, Turkey, Australia and Germany.
Regulators argue that this level of activity shows that Pakistan continues to attract new capital and partnerships, even as global markets face uncertainty. They say policymakers are focusing on improving the regulatory environment, streamlining processes and strengthening corporate governance to make it easier for foreign and local businesses to operate.
The SECP reiterated that it remains committed to protecting investor interests, ensuring fair disclosure of information and maintaining confidence in Pakistan’s corporate sector. Officials have called on stakeholders to avoid spreading misleading claims about foreign company exits, warning that such narratives can harm sentiment at a time when the economy is seeking stable and long-term investment.
