Section 2(1)(4) of the Companies Act, 2017 defines the terms “associated companies” and “associated undertakings” as under:

(4) “associated companies” and “associated undertakings” mean any two or more companies or undertakings, or a company and an undertaking, interconnected with each other in the following manner, namely: —

• if a person who is owner or a partner or director of a company or undertaking, or who, directly or indirectly, holds or controls shares carrying not less than twenty percent of the voting power in such company or undertaking, is also the owner or partner or director of another company or undertaking, or directly or indirectly, holds or controls shares carrying not less than twenty percent of the voting power in that company or undertaking; or 
• if the companies or undertakings are under common management or control or one is the subsidiary of another; or
• if the undertaking is a modaraba managed by the company;

and a person who is the owner of or a partner or director in a company or undertaking or, who so holds or controls shares carrying not less than ten percent of the voting power in a company or undertaking, shall be deemed to be an “associated person” of every such other person and of the person who is the owner of or a partner or director in such other company or undertaking, or who so holds or controls such shares in such company or undertaking:

Provided that—

• shares shall be deemed to be owned, held or controlled by a person if they are owned, held or controlled by that person or by the spouse or minor children of the person;
• directorship of a person or persons by virtue of nomination by concerned Minister-in-Charge of the Federal Government or as the case may be, a Provincial Government or a financial institution directly or indirectly owned or controlled by such Government or National Investment Trust; or
• directorship of a person appointed as an “independent director”; or

• shares owned by the National Investment Trust or a financial institution directly or indirectly owned or controlled by the Federal Government or a Provincial Government; or shares registered in the name of a central depository, where such shares are not beneficially owned by the central depository;

shall not be taken into account for determining the status of a company, undertaking or person as an associated company, associated undertaking or associated person