ISLAMABAD, May 4: The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) registered 268 companies in April this year as compared to 233 companies it had registered in the corresponding period last year, showing an increase of 15 per cent. According to the official figures released here on Wednesday, out of the total 268 companies registered in April, 263 were companies limited by shares, including four public unlisted companies, 250 private companies and nine single-member companies. Besides, two foreign companies and three associations not-for-profit were also registered.

The SECP’s Company Registration Office (CRO) at Lahore registered the highest number of 114 companies, followed by Karachi and Islamabad CROs registering 72 and 58 companies, respectively. The CROs of Faisalabad, Multan, Peshawar, and Sukkur registered nine, three, 11 and one company, respectively.

The commission also gives licences to companies being formed as association not-for-profit. During the last month, two such companies were granted licences. The SECP also accorded approval to 12 companies for alteration in their memorandum of association.

Total authorized capital and paid-up capital of the 263 limited-by-shares companies registered during the month under review amounted to Rs2,202.4 million and Rs254.782 million, respectively. Out of these, 250 were private companies having authorized capital and paid-up capital of Rs4,107.1 million and Rs252.16 million, nine single-member companies with an authorized capital and paid-up capital of Rs8.3 million and Rs2.002 million, and four public companies with an authorized capital and paid-up capital of Rs87 million and Rs0.62 million, respectively.

A total of 38 companies had raised their authorized capital in April 2005 with an increment of Rs13,281.6 million. The most flourishing sector in terms of number of new registration was the trading sector whereby 36 companies were registered, followed by 35 companies registered in the services sector, 26 in communication, 23 in the real estate development sector and 21 in the textile sector.

New incorporation last month brought the commission’s total portfolio of registered corporate sector to 45,609 companies as on 30 April, 2005, which comprises of 2,785 public companies, 41,480 private companies, 225 single-member companies, 294 associations not-for-profit, 56 companies limited by guarantee, 167 trade organizations, 597 foreign companies and five companies with unlimited liabilities. This is an increase of seven per cent as compared to 42,802 companies registered up to April 30, 2004.