Pakistan moves toward 1st National Esports Policy

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoITT) on Tuesday hosted a high-level meeting with representatives from the Commonwealth Secretariat and the British Esports Federation to advance the development of Pakistan’s first National Esports Policy and support the creation of a Pakistan Esports Federation.

According to a news release, the initiative aims to formally position esports as an economic sector, fostering youth engagement, digital skill-building, and innovation-driven employment.

The meeting was chaired by Federal Minister for IT and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja and co-chaired by Rana Mashood Ahmed Khan, Chairman of the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme (PMYP).

Key attendees included MNA Amna Batool; Zarrar Hasham Khan, Focal Person for PMYP; Secretary IT & Telecom; and Dr. Muhammad Ali Malik, Deputy Secretary, PMYP.

The Commonwealth delegation was led by Layne Robinson, Head of Social Policy, Youth & Gender Development, accompanied by Youth Officer Saima Majeed. Representing the British Esports Federation were Vice President Thomas Dore and Head of Education Kalam Neale.

Minister Shaza Fatima highlighted Pakistan’s growing talent in game development, noting that local developers are already publishing games on international platforms such as SEGA and Nintendo.

“We have immense young talent. While the government is investing in training and capacity-building, commercialisation remains the bottleneck. We seek your support to help Pakistani developers access global markets,” she said.

She outlined a three-pronged strategy to boost the esports and gaming ecosystem: introducing game-tech coursework and training, launching funding initiatives to create youth employment, and supporting the commercialisation of locally developed games.

PMYP Chairman Rana Mashood termed the effort a “wonderful opportunity to collaborate on game-tech” and a strategic move to tap into a high-growth industry for Pakistan’s youth.

The meeting concluded with a joint commitment to develop an inclusive, forward-looking national esports policy aligned with international best practices and Pakistan’s broader digital and economic goals.