In an exciting development for the capital markets and the economy as a whole, the Pakistan Stock Exchange announced the much-awaited list of the Top 25 Companies Awards recipients for the year 2022. These are the most prestigious and coveted awards in the corporate sector and were initiated by the Exchange in 1978, according to a news release here on Tuesday. The selected companies have excelled on the basis of their financial performance, governance, and operational achievements, as well as sustainability and ESG-related initiatives. They truly are leaders in all respects in Pakistan’s corporate sector. The PSX Top 25 Companies Awards recognize companies achieving certain key pre-requisites for this prestigious award, which include having a minimum dividend distribution of 30 percent and shares of the company having been traded at least 75 percent of the total trading days in a year, among other pre-requisites. Subject to achieving these pre-requisites, the companies are further weighed based on certain quantitative and qualitative criteria. In terms of quantitative criteria, PSX selects listed companies which have performed exceptionally in the context of profitability ratios, dividend related ratios, and turnover of shares, among other specifics. In terms of qualitative criteria, PSX selected high-performing listed companies based on corporate social responsibility (CSR), reporting on SDGs, ESG-related initiatives, and diversity and inclusivity, among other considerations. Announcing the PSX Top 25 Companies names for 2022, the MD and CEO of PSX, Farrukh H. Khan, stated, “On behalf of the Pakistan Stock Exchange, I extend my warmest congratulations to the recipients of the PSX Top 25 Companies Awards 2022. In the current challenging economic circumstances, the announcement of the PSX Top 25 Companies Awards is very welcome news”. He said these awards showcase the best of Pakistan’s corporate, business, and industrial companies. He is confident that this will send a strong message to investors locally as well as globally that Pakistan’s economy does indeed consist of companies that not only outshine others locally but are comparable to the best companies internationally as well. These companies deserve even more credit this year, as does the corporate sector overall, since they have performed exceptionally well in a difficult and challenging economic environment, he added.