Registration of a Company in Pakistan
Company Registration in Pakistan - Requirements and
Procedure
Registration of a Private Limited Company, Single Member Company, Pubic
Limited Company in Pakistan
This brief overview explains, in very general terms, the procedure and
requirements for registration of a company in Pakistan. These brief notes are
for general guidance only and should not be taken as a substitute for a
thorough and professional legal advice.
Types and Forms of Companies which may be Registered in Pakistan
The following types of companies may be registered in Pakistan:
• A private limited company, which may be a single member company
• A public limited company, which may be listed or unlisted
• A foreign company
How to Register a Company in Pakistan?
Companies remain the most favored form of business organization in
Pakistan especially for medium and large-scale business enterprises. Legal
regime for establishment and regulation of companies in Pakistan is given
in the Companies Ordinance, 1984. Whereas the function of administration
of these companies is vested in the Securities and Exchange Commission of
Pakistan and the Registrar of companies appointed by the Securities and
Exchange Commission of Pakistan for a Province of Pakistan where such
company is to be registered.
Under the provisions of the Companies Ordinance, 1984 a company is a
body corporate with separate legal entity and a perpetual succession and a
company may be formed by persons associating for any lawful purpose by
subscribing heir names to the memorandum of association and complying
with other requirements for registration of a company under the provisions
of the Ordinance.
The Companies Ordinance, 1984 provides three different types of
companies:
• A company limited by shares
• A company limited by guarantee
• An unlimited liability company
Further, under the Companies Ordinance, 1984 two types of limited liability
companies are provided namely, a) a private limited company and b) a
public limited company (which may be listed or unlisted). Any one or more
persons associated for any lawful purpose by subscribing their name(s) to
the Memorandum of Association and complying with other registration
specific requirements of the Companies Ordinance, 1984 may incorporate a
private limited company. Provided that where a company has only one
subscriber to the Memorandum of Association then such a company is
called a Single Member Company, however, a Single Member Company
remains a private limited company for all intents and purposes of the
Ordinance. Whereas any three or more persons so associated may form a
public limited company. A company limited by shares whether private
company or a public company is the most common vehicle for carrying out
a business enterprise in Pakistan.
Prior approval of the relevant Ministries/Departments is required to be
obtained before incorporation of the following companies:
• A banking company
• A non-banking finance company
• A security service providing company
• A corporate brokerage house
• A money exchange company
• An Association not for profit u/s42 of the Companies Ordinance,
1984
• A trade organization u/s 42 of the Companies Ordinance, 1984
Procedure for Registration of a Company in Pakistan
Following are the requirements for registration of a company in Pakistan:
Step No. 1 for Registration of a Company in Pakistan
Availability of Name
The first step with regard to incorporation of a company is to seek
availability of the proposed name for the company from the Registrar. For
this purpose, an application is to be made and a fee of Rs.200 is required to
be paid for seeking availability certificate.
Step No. 2 for Registration of a Company in Pakistan
Filing of documents required for registration of a private limited company in
Pakistan
The following documents are required to be filed with the registrar
concerned for registration of a private limited company in Pakistan:
• Copy of national identity card or passport, in case of foreigner, of
each subscriber and witness to the memorandum and article of
association.
•
• Memorandum and articles of association - Four printed copes of
Memorandum and Articles of Association duly signed by each
subscriber in the presence of one witness.
•
• Form 1 - Declaration of compliance with the pre-requisites for
formation of the company.
•
• Registration/filing fee - A copy of the original paid Challan in the
authorized branches of Habib Bank Limited or a Bank Draft/ Pay
Order drawn in favour of the Securities and Exchange Commission of
Pakistan of the prescribed amount.
•
• Authorization by sponsors - The authorization of sponsors in favour
of a person to make good the deficiencies, if any, in memorandum
and articles of association as may be pointed out by the registrar
concerned and to collect the certificate of incorporation
Documents required for registration of a Single Member Company in
Pakistan
Any person may form a single member company and would file with the
registrar at the time of incorporation a nomination in prescribed indicating at
least two individuals to act as nominee director and alternate nominee
director, of the company in the event of his death. All requirements for
incorporation of a private limited company shall mutatis mutandis apply to a
single member company.
Documents required for registration of an association not for profit in
Pakistan
All the documents meant for incorporation of a limited company alongwith a
licence issued by the SEC. In case of a trade body, a licence issued by
Ministry of Commerce would also be submitted to the registrar concerned.
The application for obtaining the requisite licence from the Commission
should be accompanied by draft memorandum and Articles of Association,
list of promoters, biodata of each promoter, declaration, names of companies
in which the promoters of the proposed association hold any office, estimates
of annual income and expenditure and brief statement of work already done
or to be done.
We are offering to register the following companies in Pakistan:
• Register a private limited company in Pakistan
• Register a single member company in Pakistan
• Register a public limited company in Pakistan
• Register a company limited by shares in Pakistan
• Register a company limited by guarantee in Pakistan
• Register an unlimited company in Pakistan
Relevant laws of Pakistan for registration of a company in Pakistan:
• Companies ordinance, 1984
• Companies (general provisions and forms) Rules, 1985
• Single member companies rules, 2003
• Schedule filing fees
We have successfully dealt with registration of various companies including
the following:
• Registration of IT related companies in Pakistan
• Registration of construction related companies in Pakistan
• Registration of real estate investment related companies in Pakistan
• Registration of real estate development related companies in Pakistan
• Registration of travel & tour related companies in Pakistan
• Registration of textile related companies in Pakistan
• Registration of garments & apparel related companies in Pakistan
• Registration of home furnishing related companies in Pakistan
• Registration of cosmetics & toiletries related companies in Pakistan
• Registration of agricultural & agricultural products related companies
in Pakistan
• Registration of electronics related companies in Pakistan
• Registration of telecommunications related companies in Pakistan
• Registration of leather & leather goods related companies in Pakistan
• Registration of pharmaceutical related companies in Pakistan
• Registration of health & care related companies in Pakistan
• Registration of manufacturing related companies in Pakistan
• Registration of service oriented companies in Pakistan
• Registration of manufacturing related companies in Pakistan
