Pakistan approves first national esports policy

The Federal Cabinet of Pakistan approved the country’s first National Esports Policy and instructed the establishment of a national Esports Federation within two months to manage the rollout of competitive arenas and game development centres nationwide.

The policy creates a legal and institutional framework to regulate esports and support game development. The federation will set competition standards, license organisations and coordinate infrastructure projects across provinces.

Officials said the policy targets the development of on-site esports arenas and specialised game development centres intended to train players, coaches and event organisers and to support local studios. Government metrics cited during briefings estimate between 50 million and 60 million young Pakistanis are actively engaged in esports.

The development plan behind the policy was prepared by Federal Minister for IT and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja. It recommends integrating game-technology coursework into educational institutions, creating job-funding initiatives for studios and developers, and reducing barriers to commercialising locally developed intellectual property with major international publishers. The plan also proposes measures to professionalise competitive circuits and establish clearer pathways from grassroots play to international competition.

Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan, chairman of the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme, wrote on LinkedIn that global champions such as Tekken player Arslan Ash are “a testament to the country’s immense potential in this field” and added the Youth Programme is committed to providing grassroots players “with opportunities to compete and excel on the global stage.”

Government officials said the policy followed about a year of consultations involving the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication, the Commonwealth Secretariat and the British Esports Federation. Those consultations informed standards for governance, event safety and talent development in the policy text.

Implementation will begin with the formal establishment of the Esports Federation, followed by phased investment in arenas and development hubs. The policy includes provisions for public-private partnerships, curriculum changes in technical institutions, and funding streams for competitive teams and independent developers. Regulators are expected to publish details on licensing, tournament rules and funding mechanisms in the coming months as the federation is constituted.

Officials framed the policy as part of a wider digital transformation agenda aimed at expanding youth employment and technology-led growth. Pakistan has roughly 160 million citizens under the age of 30, a demographic the government referenced when explaining the policy’s objectives.