Company registration in Pakistan is administered by the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) under the Companies Act 2017. The process is largely online and, with clean documentation, moves in days rather than weeks.
1. Choose the right vehicle
For most founders, a Private Limited Company (Pvt Ltd) is the right structure — separate legal personality, limited liability and clean cap-table mechanics. Single-Member Companies (SMC), LLPs and Public Limited Companies are alternatives for specific situations.
2. Name reservation
The proposed name is checked against the SECP register and existing trademarks. Avoid names that are generic, misleading or too close to a registered mark; we clear the name before drafting the memorandum.
3. Memorandum and articles
The Memorandum of Association sets out the company's objects; the Articles of Association govern its internal management. Standard SECP templates are a starting point — we tailor share-capital, director and shareholder-protection clauses to the founders' agreement.
4. Filing and incorporation
Incorporation forms, MoA, AoA, CNICs/passports of subscribers and directors, and prescribed fees are filed on the SECP e-services portal. A private limited company is typically incorporated in 5–15 working days; foreign-shareholder structures take longer for KYC.
5. Post-incorporation compliance
After incorporation you need an NTN and, where applicable, sales-tax registration, PSEB registration, chamber membership, bank account, EOBI and social-security registration. Missing these is the most common source of avoidable penalties later.
6. Founders' documentation
Shareholders' agreements, vesting schedules, IP-assignment deeds and employment/consulting agreements should be signed alongside incorporation — not deferred. A corporate lawyer in Karachi can assemble the full pack in parallel with the SECP filing.
If you are incorporating in Pakistan and want a start-to-finish handling — from name check through NTN and shareholders' agreement — KKR Associates can act as your corporate counsel from day one.