Business Advisory

Structuring a business the right way from the start — or fixing it before it becomes a problem — is one of the highest-leverage decisions an owner makes in Pakistan. We advise on the entity, the registrations, and the ongoing compliance calendar so you're set up correctly with SECP, FBR, and the regulator relevant to your sector.

Choosing the right structure in Pakistan

Three structures cover most businesses here, and each carries a different registration path and liability exposure. A sole proprietorship is registered simply through FBR with an NTN and carries unlimited personal liability. A partnership or Association of Persons (AOP) is registered under the Partnership Act, 1932 with the provincial Registrar of Firms and needs a partnership deed, with liability shared among the partners. A private limited company is incorporated with SECP under the Companies Act, 2017, exists as a separate legal entity with limited liability and perpetual succession, but takes on SECP's ongoing filing obligations in return.

Incorporation itself runs through SECP's eZfile portal — name reservation, submission of the Memorandum and Articles of Association, and a Certificate of Incorporation, usually within days. What trips businesses up afterward is the compliance calendar that follows: annual returns tied to the AGM, filings whenever directors change, and beneficial-ownership disclosures. We set the structure up right and then keep it compliant year after year.