Pakistan, July 2 -- Pakistan raised more than Rs20 billion ($71 million) through stock market listings in the first half of 2026, the country's securities regulator said on Wednesday, as Islamabad pushes to deepen its capital markets and encourage companies to raise money from investors rather than relying primarily on bank loans.

Pakistan's economy has traditionally depended on commercial banks to finance businesses, while relatively few companies raise capital by selling shares to the public through the stock market. Policymakers have been trying to broaden the country's financial markets to give companies more funding options, attract new investors and support long-term economic growth.

"During the first half of 2026, nine companies ...