Pakistan Cabinet Approves First National Esports Policy

The Federal Cabinet has approved Pakistan’s first National Esports Policy and instructed that a national Esports Federation be established within two months to formalise, regulate and scale the country’s esports and game development sectors.

The policy creates a legislative framework to support competitive gaming and local game production. Federal Minister for IT and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja drafted the development plan that will guide implementation. Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan, chairman of the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme, announced the federation’s upcoming formation as the industry’s central governing body.

Government estimates put between 50 million and 60 million young Pakistanis as actively engaged in esports. Officials noted roughly 160 million citizens are under the age of 30.

To support players and developers, the policy mandates the nationwide construction of on-site esports arenas and specialised game development centres. The plan includes measures for education and funding, recommending the integration of game technology coursework into relevant curricula and the creation of job-funding initiatives for developers.

The policy seeks to reduce commercial barriers so local software teams can take their intellectual property to major international publishers. The Esports Federation is expected to oversee standards, organise competitions, manage player development programs, coordinate the rollout of arenas and centres, and manage funding channels for startups and teams.

The government said the policy followed roughly one year of multilateral consultation. The legislative push gathered momentum during diplomatic sessions in Islamabad that included the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication, the Commonwealth Secretariat and the British Esports Federation.

In a LinkedIn post, Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan described the framework as an effort to convert local gaming interest into economic and competitive results and pointed to Tekken player Arslan Ash as a “testament to the country’s immense potential in this field.” He wrote that the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme will supply grassroots players with opportunities to compete on the global stage.

Officials described the decision as part of Pakistan’s broader digital transformation agenda, with the federation and policy measures intended to channel public resources into infrastructure, training and commercial support for careers in gaming and game development.