KARACHI: Pakistan attracted 79 new foreign companies and Rs40.7 billion in foreign investment over the past three years, with 61 shareholding transactions recorded during the same period, according to the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP).
The SECP has released this data after news reports that several foreign entities had exited Pakistan during recent years. The commission earlier clarified that only 19 companies exited Pakistan during this period.
According to the SECP, foreign investors entered sectors including energy, logistics, information technology, agriculture and telecommunications through new establishments, joint ventures, acquisitions and expansions. 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.
Several transactions were part of global restructuring. Wafi Energy acquired Shell’s Pakistan operations, while PTA Global Holdings secured a majority stake in Lotte Chemical Pakistan. Saudi Aramco purchased a 40 per cent stake in Gas and Oil Pakistan Limited.
Switzerland’s Gunvor Group and Total Parco Limited acquired equal stakes in TotalEnergies Pakistan. In logistics, DP World entered a joint venture with the National Logistics Corporation. In telecommunications, Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited acquired Telenor Pakistan’s operations.
In agriculture, Italy’s Euricom SpA acquired a 50 per cent stake in Fatima Euricom Rice Mills. Netherlands-based Berkeley Square Holding BV obtained 50 per cent shareholding in Ogilvy & Mather Pakistan, Mindshare Pakistan and Soho Square Pakistan.
The mining and minerals sector attracted investment from Barrick Gold and other international firms. In the electric vehicle segment, companies including BYD and Chery Automobile entered the market.
Existing investors expanded their footprint. Kuwait-backed Raqami Digital Bank plans to invest $100 million, Nestle announced an additional $60 million, and the Engro Jazz consortium is investing more than $550 million in digital infrastructure. Under CPEC Phase II, 24 agreements worth more than $1.5 billion and memoranda exceeding $7 billion were signed across multiple sectors.
Additional commitments include a $1 billion pledge from the UAE government through a local partner and a $160 million cement expansion by the Mansha Group. SECP data showed 1,157 foreign companies are currently registered and operational in Pakistan. Over the past three years, only 19 companies exited the market. In 2023, 31 companies entered while six ceased operations. In 2024, 21 entered and nine exited. In 2025, 27 new companies registered while only four closed operations
