ISLAMABAD – The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) has amended the regulations to establish a centralised Ultimate Beneficial Ownership (UBO) Registry for the corporate sector.
The Registry, to be housed at the SECP, will ensure the availability of accurate and up-to-date beneficial ownership information for companies. This initiative aligns with the recommendations of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
Under the amended regulations, companies are required to submit their UBO information to the SECP, which is already being collected from shareholders. This information must be submitted for each financial year ending on or after June 30, 2025, through SECP’s eZfile portal, along with other regulatory returns and forms.
Once available, the UBO data will be accessible to financial institutions and other stakeholders as needed. The introduction of the centralised UBO Registry follows extensive stakeholder consultations and demonstrates SECP’s commitment to aligning Pakistan’s corporate regulatory framework with international best practices. Such measures are expected to bolster investor confidence in the country’s financial and regulatory ecosystem.
