Below is a brief guide to get approval of Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) on restricted and prohibited words, names and expressions.
Before Reading below table, kindly go through these abbreviations:
Legends
- TO – Trade Organization
- DGTO – Director General of TOs
- PSC – Public Sector Company
- NBFC – Non – Banking Finance Company
- REIT – Real Estate Investment Trust
A straight path to get your desired company name from SECP
| This article is written on basis of our experience, SECP decisions and the Companies Regulations 2024. If you follow our guidance, it is more likely that proposed name will be available. Hopefully, this blog will help a lot to get your desired name available. However, ConSerIC is not providing any guarantee that applied name will be available. We have compiled this guide on the basis our experience and SECP notifications / regulations / decisions. Registrar reserves the authority on the name confirmation. For all below cases, the decision of SECP is final. | |||
| Sr. No | Words, Phrases | Which company can avail | When |
| 1. | Unique, Appropriate | All the companies | Proper justification, appropriate reasons or an explanation have been provided to the registrar |
| 2. | Association, Foundation | Section 42 company | Licensed by SECP |
| Trade Organization (TO) | Licensed by DGTO | ||
| 3. | Fund | Section 42 | Licensed by SECP |
| PSC, TO, NBFC undertakes asset management services, private equity and venture capital equity | Prior approval of SECP or its licensing under the Section 42 of the Companies Act 2017 | ||
| 4. | Council | Section 42 | Licensed by SECP |
| Trade Organization, Sport Association and Professional Body | Upon licensing by SECP under the Section 42. | ||
| 5. | Chamber | Any company | Which is to be established as TO |
| 6. | Trust | NBFC undertakes REIT asset management services, private equity and venture capital equity | Prior approval of SECP. |
| Not for profit organization | Company will be licensed under Section 42 and reason to use name must he provided to the Registrar. | ||
| 7. | Society | Any company | Justification is provided for the satisfaction of registrar |
| 8. | Assurance, Assurer, Insurance, Insurer, Re-Assurance, Re-Assurer, Re-Insurance, Re-Insurer | Company undertakes business of Insurance, Assurance, Reinsurance and Re-assurance | Prior approval of SECP. |
| 9. | Board | Company desires to engage in the business of paper and board mills. | (In practice) Approval of concerned registrar |
| Public Sector Companies | |||
| 10. | Bahria,Askari, Fauji, Fazaiya, Cadet, Armed Forces or Forces, Army, Navy, Air Force, Shaheen, Military, Defence | Company to be established by relevant agency (of armed forces) | NOC of relevant agency is required |
| 11. | Bank, Banking, Banker | Company undertakes business of banking business (Commercial banks) | Prior approval or license of SBP |
| Investment bank | Prior approval of SECP | ||
| 12. | Chapter | Any company to be established by an entity or organization which have various global or local chapters | Prior permission or approval (NOC) of such entity or organization |
| 13. | Charter, Chartered | Company having charter from autonomous body, sovereign authority of Federation or Province | Charter or SRO or Act or Ordinance of Federation or Province is sufficient |
| 14. | Corporation | All the companies | Justification is provided for the satisfaction of registrar. |
| 15. | Capital | All the companies | Justification is provided for the satisfaction of registrar. |
| 16. | Commodity / Commodities | Any company is to trade in shares / stocks / commodities | Prior approval of SECP |
| 17. | Exchange, Bourse | Securities Exchange, Commodity Exchange, Mercantile Exchange and Exchange Company | Prior approval of relevant authority. |
| Names of famous or distinct personalities | All the companies | Prior NOC of personality or proper justification is provided to registrar | |
| 18. | Federation | Section 42 | Licensed by SECP |
| Trade bodies or organizations | Licensed by DGTO | ||
| 19. | Federal / Province / Provincial | Company having connection with or patronage of Federal / Provincial Govt | Prior approval of SECP. The approval may be granted if the company is establishing under the law of national or provincial assembly. |
| 20. | Sindh, Punjab, Baluchistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa or KPK, FATA, Gilgit Baltistan or FANA, Azad Jammu & Kashmir or AJK. | Company has no connection with or patronage of the respective Govt | Proper justification is to be provided to the Registrar. |
| Company has connection of it is to be incorporated by the respective Provincial Govt | Prior approval of SECP | ||
| 21. | Gymkhana | Any company | Appropriate reasons, proper justification to be provided to registrar |
| 22. | Group | Any company where the word “Group” implies several companies under common ownership | Evidence of subsidiary, associate relationship with two or more companies has to be provided |
| 23. | Holding | Any company | Company qualifies to be a holding company under clause 37 of sub-section (1) of Section 2 along with proper justification |
| 24. | Islam / Islami and words (or expressions) related to other religions | For Section 42 companies, NGOs, Trusts, society. However, such companies must be Shariah compliant. | Prior approval of SECP. Practically, this word, “Islam” would be available to the welfare / not-for-profit organizations / NGOs working for religious activities. |
| 25. | Institute or Institution | Any company | Proper justification to the registrar |
| 26. | Finance, Financial, Investment Finance, Investment Advisory, Leasing, Asset Management, Housing Finance, Modaraba, Venture Capital, Private Equity | NBFC, Investment company, Modaraba company, Brokerage house | Prior approval of SECP |
| Public sector financial institution | Prior approval of SECP or SBP as the case may be | ||
| 27. | Country name or nationality other than Pakistan | Any company | Appropriate justification to satisfaction of registrar. |
| 28. | Names of two different countries for example Pak and Qatar, Pak-China, Pak-Germany etc. | Any company which is Joint Venture of concerned Govts or companies or individuals of two relevant countries | Documentary evidence is provided to satisfaction of registrar to support the fact that company is joint venture |
| 29. | National | Any company. But such company have to justify its connection with the Government (it might be NOC, governing law provisions, special permission) | Approval of Registrar or SECP |
| 30. | Non-dictionary words | Any company | Appropriate reasons, proper justification to be provided to registrar |
| 31. | State | Public Sector companies | (In practice) Approval of concerned registrar |
| 32. | Security / Securities | Any company | Proper justification is to be provided to the Registrar. |
| 33. | University | Company is to be established for management (administering) university | Company is to be established under terms and guidelines of HEC. NOC or approval or licence might be required |
| 34. | New, Modern, The, Al, International, Company, Co., Inc., Firm, Partnership, LLP, LLC, Proprietor, Enterprise, Mills, Factory | Any company | Proper justification to satisfaction of registrar. However, these expressions will not be available if they are used make your distinct from the already registered company. For instance, ABC Pvt Ltd is already registered, you have put forward application of ABC LLC Pvt Ltd. |
| 35. | Arms and Ammunition | A company which is being registered for the trade or dealing of arms and ammunition or related defense technologies. | Prior approval or NOC or license from the Ministry of Interior or Defense |
| 36. | Registered Brands, Trademarks, Patents, Copyrights (Registered with the Intellectual Property Organization (IPO) of Pakistan) | Any company bearing such intellectual properties | Documentary evidence of ownership and registration must be provided to the Registrar. |
Source references
ConSerIC is sharing source links and references.
- Section 10 of the Companies Act 2017
- The Companies Regulation 2024
- SECP decisions over the time
- ConSerIC experience and learning over the time