Service overview
A consultant to the issue performs regulated securities-offering advisory and documentation functions.
A company certificate does not itself authorise a regulated business. Depending on the activity, SECP may require prior formation permission, incorporation, a separate operational licence, and continuing financial and fit-and-proper compliance.
Who is eligible for Consultant to the Issue Licence?
Applicants must assess the licensing class, personnel suitability, due-diligence capacity and conflicts safeguards.
Consultants to an issue must demonstrate staff competence, independence, capital and documented due diligence standards. Acting as an ordinary corporate consultant does not automatically permit managing a regulated securities offer.
Documents and information for Consultant to the Issue Licence
Prepare the following information for consultant to the issue licence. The relevant regulator may require further forms or certified evidence, depending on the applicant and chosen procedure.
- Offering-advice business plan
- Management CVs
- Corporate and ownership details
- Financial capacity
- Due-diligence and conflicts policies.
How can I obtain Consultant to the Issue Licence in Pakistan? — step-by-step guide
- 01Identify the appropriate application route and eligibility
First determine whether the proposed applicant and activity fall within this procedure. Applicants must assess the licensing class, personnel suitability, due-diligence capacity and conflicts safeguards. Review the separate conditions and exclusions in the eligibility section before submitting any form or payment.
- 02Prepare the application documents and evidence
Start with the particulars listed for this service: Offering-advice business plan; Management CVs; Corporate and ownership details; Financial capacity; Due-diligence and conflicts policies.. Ensure the names, applicant identity and documents are consistent. The authority may require further supporting material under its current checklist.
- 03Check the current regulator instructions before filing
Refer to the regulator resource identified on this page (SECP Public Offering Intermediaries ↗). Reconfirm the currently prescribed forms, online or physical submission method, supporting evidence, fee and any current amendments. Do not assume that historic processing times or fees remain applicable.
- 04Define consultant-to-the-issue activities
Identify capital-market offerings, due diligence and offer document responsibilities requiring regulated licensing.
- 05Prepare the appropriate public offering intermediary papers
Under Public Offering (Regulated Securities Activities Licensing) Regulations, 2017 supply sponsor/key-person details, financial fitness and conflicts policy.
- 06Apply to SECP as a consultant to the issue
Obtain the intermediary licence before accepting regulated underwriting/consultant-to-issue functions.
- 07Implement deal-level diligence systems
Preserve issue documentation and comply with current public-offering requirements.
- 08Keep the approval record and track ongoing obligations
After the authority has made its decision, retain the acknowledgement, correspondence, evidence of approval and any conditions attached to it. Observe permitted advisory scope, recordkeeping, disclosure and offering compliance. Check whether separate approvals, renewals or reporting duties apply to the actual business.
Use the current regulator checklist to confirm that every listed item is still required and that any activity-specific conditions have been met. The items below are drawn from the document requirements identified on this page, not a representation that the checklist is exhaustive.
- Offering-advice business plan
- Management CVs
- Corporate and ownership details
- Financial capacity
- Due-diligence and conflicts policies.
Before signing or paying, reconcile the particulars across Offering-advice business plan and Management CVs; check the applicant and business classification, identify the person authorised to submit, and retain a copy of the final application and official correspondence. Official instructions control if the portal or law has changed.
Regulator resource: SECP Public Offering Intermediaries
After registration or approval
Observe permitted advisory scope, recordkeeping, disclosure and offering compliance.
Consultant to an issue: SECP licensing for public offerings
Primary-source research note. The following procedural analysis is based on the identified government or regulator sources. Confirm enacted amendments, applicable forms, fees and filing requirements on the date of submission. A consultation draft is not operative law merely because it has been published. This note does not represent final legal-editor certification of the entire guide.
Scope of regulated activity
SECP describes consultant-to-the-issue activity as a regulated securities service under the Securities Act, 2015. The federal notification dated 26 April 2017 and Public Offering (Regulated Securities Activities Licensing) Regulations, 2017 create a separate licence pathway alongside underwriters and bankers to the issue.
Applicant eligibility
Identify proposed capital-market services, corporate and officer particulars, knowledge of offering preparation, management and independence. Use the correct segment of SECP's grant and renewal licensing checklist instead of treating a corporate advisory or legal engagement letter as proof of regulatory authorisation.
Public offering workstream
A consultant may assist with offering preparation, due diligence, disclosures and engagement with intermediaries. Separate licensing of the consultant from the issuer's approval, prospectus requirements and any separate underwriting commitment. The exact work described in contracts determines its regulated status.
Continuing obligations
Preserve eligibility, conflicts, client records, prospectus workpapers, engagement documentation and licence renewals. Confirm current statutory and regulatory forms, fees and eligibility as of filing rather than copying a generic SECP broker checklist.
Official legal and regulatory sources
Governing law & official references
Securities Act, 2015 and the particular SECP licensing/registration regulations, offering laws and current notifications applicable to that capital-market activity.
The links below lead to government or official regulatory sources relevant to this service. Use the currently consolidated Act, regulations, statutory checklist and official portal when making an application.
How Chambers can assist
Chambers can review the legal route, identify regulatory constraints, prepare or review the supporting corporate and legal documents, manage the prescribed submission and correspond with the competent authority where instructed. The scope of the engagement will be determined by the applicant’s particular circumstances.
For an initial enquiry, identify the proposed activity, applicant entity and current stage, and provide the available documents indicated above. Please avoid sending confidential or identity-sensitive records through an unencrypted first contact.
Common questions about Consultant to the Issue Licence
Who is eligible for Consultant to the Issue Licence in Pakistan?
Applicants must assess the licensing class, personnel suitability, due-diligence capacity and conflicts safeguards.
What documents are needed for Consultant to the Issue Licence?
Offering-advice business plan; Management CVs; Corporate and ownership details; Financial capacity. Additional requirements can apply to the actual business or regulator.
How can I obtain Consultant to the Issue Licence in Pakistan?
Define consultant-to-the-issue activities: Identify capital-market offerings, due diligence and offer document responsibilities requiring regulated licensing. Prepare the appropriate public offering intermediary papers: Under Public Offering (Regulated Securities Activities Licensing) Regulations, 2017 supply sponsor/key-person details, financial fitness and conflicts policy. Apply to SECP as a consultant to the issue: Obtain the intermediary licence before accepting regulated underwriting/consultant-to-issue functions. Implement deal-level diligence systems: Preserve issue documentation and comply with current public-offering requirements.
This guide is general information, not advice on your facts. Check the applicable law, notifications, updated regulator checklists and jurisdiction before acting. The authority alone determines eligibility, acceptance and approval; no outcome or processing period is guaranteed.