Regulating Islamic finance market: SECP sets up specialised department

To regulate and develop the Islamic financial market, the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) has established an Islamic Finance Department. The new specialised department shall carry out the functions of Shariah regulation and compliance, product development, market awareness, Shariah securities market development and international liaison and networking. The Islamic Finance Department will act as a backbone for co-ordination between the SECP's operational departments with the primary objective of regulating and promoting Islamic finance and Shariah compliance in the capital market. Out of Pakistan's total Islamic financial assets of over Rs 1.7 trillion, around 40 percent assets are directly or indirectly regulated by the SECP.