Share of Shariah-compliant assets steadily rising

Growing at a fast rate, Shariah-compliant assets now represent 34.6% of the total assets of the Non-Banking Financial Institute (NBFI) industry. According to the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), the number of Shariah-compliant mutual funds has reached 109 and Shariah-complaint funds have 41% of the assets. In Pakistan the Takaful industry comprises of five dedicated Takaful operators and 21 window Takaful operators. Takaful sector assets represent 2.7% of the total assets of the insurance industry. During the year, the SECP took a number of initiatives for regulation and development of Islamic finance across the sectors it regulates. Tax neutrality for Sukuk was achieved by amending the Income Tax Ordinance. A new concept of a Shariah-compliant company was introduced through the newly promulgated Companies Act, 2017. To facilitate issuance of Sukuk, relevant regulations were amended both for public offering and for private placement.