ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is attracting foreign investment across a wide range of sectors, particularly energy, logistics, information technology, and agriculture, largely through partnerships with local companies.
In this context, 79 new foreign companies commenced operations over the past three years, while foreign firms invested Rs40.7 billion in key sectors during the same period. A total of 61 foreign companies also carried out shareholding transactions involving local entities.
The CPEC Phase II has further accelerated industrial cooperation, with 24 business-to- business agreements worth over $1.5bn and memoranda of understanding exceeding $7bn across agriculture, renewable energy, information technology, minerals, and industrial relocation.
As per SECP’s records, 1,157 foreign companies are currently registered and operational in Pakistan. At the same time 19 foreign companies exited the market during the past three years. In 2023, 31 companies entered Pakistan while six ceased operations. In 2024, 21 entered and nine exited. In 2025, 27 new companies registered while only four closed operations.
The data released by SECP stated that of the 61 shareholding transactions, 29 involved transfers to other foreign companies, four to foreign individual investors, 20 to local individual investors, and eight to local corporate entities. Many of these transactions resulted from global corporate restructuring among multinational companies.
Existing investors have also strengthened their commitments. Mashreq Bank has launched and is expanding Pakistan’s first digital bank. Kuwait backed Raqami Digital Bank plans to invest$100 million. UAE telecom group e& has acquired Telenor Pakistan. Nestlé is investing an additional $60 million. VEON Group has increased investment in Mobilink Bank, and the Engro Jazz consortium is investing more than $550m in digital infrastructure.
Additional major investments include a $1bn commitment from the UAE government through a local partner, a $160m expansion in cement capacity by the Mansha Group, the entry of global logistics firm Nippon Express into TCS, and renewed investments in the mining and minerals sector.
Published in Dawn, February 25th, 2026
