Company registration, contracts and compliance
MSA Law Chamber provides corporate and commercial counsel to companies and enterprises in Karachi. We assist with company formation and structuring, shareholders’ arrangements, commercial contracts, governance, and dealings with regulators including the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP).
The aim is practical agreements that can be performed, compliance that can be explained, and transactions that do not leave an avoidable dispute in the documents.
Company registration in Pakistan is done online through the SECP: name reservation, filing the incorporation documents and, after the certificate of incorporation is issued, completing the company’s tax registration with the FBR and setting up its statutory records. We prepare the documents that go with it, such as the memorandum and articles of association, shareholder agreements and board resolutions. Our guide to company registration and SECP filings in Pakistan sets out the steps, and our article on contract vetting and drafting covers commercial agreements.
Who we act for
Our corporate clients include start-ups and family businesses incorporating for the first time, private limited companies that need to keep their SECP record in order, foreign investors setting up in Pakistan, and established businesses negotiating supply, distribution, service or joint-venture agreements.
Our Corporate, Commercial & Regulatory Law services
- Company formation and governance
- Commercial contracts
- Regulatory compliance
- Corporate transactions
- SECP and company-law matters
- Shareholders’ agreements and changes in shareholding
- Annual returns, statutory registers and post-incorporation filings
- Contract vetting before signature
- Partnerships and limited liability partnerships
How we work
- Understand the businessWe start with what the business does, who owns it and what it needs to achieve.
- Recommend the structureWe advise on the right vehicle (company, LLP or partnership) and the documents it needs.
- Draft and negotiateWe prepare or review the constitutional documents and contracts, and negotiate terms with the other side where instructed.
- File and registerWe handle filings with SECP through its eZfile portal and coordinate tax registration steps with your tax adviser.
- Ongoing complianceWe can keep a calendar of annual filings, board and general meetings, and changes that must be reported.
Documents we usually need
- CNIC or passport copies of proposed directors and shareholders
- Proposed company name options and the principal line of business
- Registered office address and proof
- Existing memorandum and articles, if the company is already registered
- Draft contracts or term sheets under negotiation
- Previous SECP filings and board resolutions, for compliance work
Courts, forums and authorities
- Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (company registration, filings and corporate compliance)
- Federal Board of Revenue (NTN and income tax registration) and Sindh Revenue Board (sales tax on services)
- Competition Commission of Pakistan, where a merger or acquisition requires clearance
- The High Court of Sindh for company-law proceedings and commercial disputes
The core statute is the Companies Act, 2017. Contracts are governed by the Contract Act, 1872, and stamp duty under the Stamp Act, 1899 can apply to many commercial documents. Partnerships are formed under the Partnership Act, 1932 and LLPs under the Limited Liability Partnership Act, 2017.
Why MSA Law Chamber
- Documents are drafted with enforcement in mind, informed by the chamber’s litigation work.
- Scope of work and fees are discussed and confirmed with you before work starts.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. We advise on formation, constitutional documents, shareholding arrangements and the filings that follow a change in structure.
Both. Contracts are drafted and reviewed so they can be performed and, if needed, enforced.
Dealings with company-law and sector regulators, including SECP filings, governance questions and the compliance that sits behind a transaction or an ongoing business.
Name reservation and incorporation are done online through SECP’s eZfile portal and can be quick when the documents are complete. Delays usually come from name objections or missing information, so we check these before filing.
At a minimum, an annual return and, where required, financial statements, together with forms reporting changes in directors, registered office or shareholding. Our SECP guide explains these in more detail.
A company needs a National Tax Number from the FBR. In many cases the NTN is now issued through the SECP and FBR integration at the time of incorporation; where it is not, it is obtained through the FBR IRIS portal. In either case the company's tax profile must be completed and kept up to date.
It depends on liability, ownership, funding plans and compliance cost. A private limited company registered with SECP is a separate legal person with limited liability but has annual filing obligations. A partnership needs a clear partnership deed and can be registered with the Registrar of Firms. A sole proprietorship has the least formality but no separation between the owner and the business.
Discuss your corporate, commercial & regulatory law matter
Call or WhatsApp us on +92 308 2254647 (Monday to Saturday, 11:00 am to 7:30 pm), or send an enquiry through our contact page.
This page is general information about our practice, not legal advice. Laws and procedures change; please take advice on your specific facts.