The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) was set up in pursuance of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan Act, 1997 and became operational on January 1, 1999.  It has investigative and enforcement powers.

The current mandate of the SECP includes the following

• Regulation of corporate sector and capital market

• Supervision and regulation of insurance companies

• Supervision and regulation non-banking finance companies and private pensions schemes

• Oversight of various external service providers to the corporate and financial sectors, including chartered accountants, credit rating agencies, corporate secretaries, brokers, surveyors etc.