The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) has approved a series of regulatory reforms aimed at improving Pakistan’s performance in the World Bank Group’s Business Ready (B-READY) assessment. Pakistan ranked 17th among 101 economies in the Business Entry category of the B-READY 2025 Report, with a score of 86.64 points. The newly approved measures are intended to address remaining regulatory gaps and bring the country’s business environment closer to international standards.
Under the reforms, SECP will expand the automated exchange of updated company information with the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) through application programming interfaces (APIs), in coordination with the Board of Investment. The automated exchange is expected to reduce duplicate compliance requirements for businesses by improving information sharing between government institutions. Instead of requiring companies to repeatedly provide information that is already available to another government body, greater integration between regulatory systems could make compliance processes more efficient. The initiative follows broader regulatory reform work by SECP and the Board of Investment focused on digitization, ease of doing business, and reducing administrative barriers for companies.
SECP will also publish information about environmental approvals and operating permits on its website once the relevant authorities provide the required data. This is intended to give businesses a centralized online source for regulatory requirements related to approvals and permits. In another measure, SECP plans to make information about publicly funded programmes for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and women entrepreneurs available through its digital platforms. The regulator will also publish gender-related information about newly incorporated companies, including data concerning women shareholders, directors, chief executives, and ultimate beneficial owners. These measures are designed to improve the availability of business-related information while supporting transparency and access to relevant government programmes.
The latest reforms build on regulatory initiatives already being pursued by SECP and the Board of Investment. In June, SECP said it had submitted draft amendments to the Companies Act, 2017, covering measures under the Board of Investment’s Ultra-Fast Track Package and regulatory reform packages for listed and unlisted companies. The two institutions had also reviewed 14 priority reform areas under the B-READY framework, with reforms completed by September 1, 2026, eligible for consideration in the World Bank’s next assessment cycle. The newly approved measures therefore form part of a wider effort to improve Pakistan’s regulatory processes, facilitate business activity, and strengthen the country’s position in international assessments of business conditions.
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