Pakistan has embarked on drafting its first national esports policy, signalling a major shift in how the country views competitive gaming and game-tech. A high-level meeting in Islamabad on 29 July 2025 chaired by the Ministry of Information Technology & Telecommunication (MoITT) and co-chaired by the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme (PMYP), together with the Commonwealth Secretariat and the British Esports Federation, laid out the groundwork for this policy.
Why Now?
Several factors are driving this development:
- Pakistan has a large and youthful gaming population, with reports estimating tens of millions of gamers and an emerging local game-development scene.
- Competitive gaming and associated industries (streaming, tournaments, game development) globally are seeing rapid growth; Pakistan is aiming to tap into that.
- The government is keen to elevate gaming from a hobby to an economic sector: “We have immense young talent; commercialization is the bottleneck,” said IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja.
- Formal recognition and regulation could unlock structured funding, training, career pathways for gamers and developers.
What Does the Draft Policy Cover?
While the full text isn’t yet public, key elements emerging from the meetings include:
- Recognition of esports as a formal economic sector, not just entertainment.
- Establishing a national body, likely a Pakistan Esports Federation, to govern, regulate, and promote esports activities.
- A three-pronged strategy:
- Education/training: Develop game-tech curricula, training programmes for gaming, streaming, tournament operations.
- Funding/entrepreneurship: Create investment or support mechanisms for youth-led gaming/startup ventures.
- Commercialisation/global access: Help Pakistani game developers reach international platforms, publishers, markets.
- Support infrastructure and regulatory ecosystem: high-speed internet for competitive gaming, recognition within national sports or youth policy frameworks.
Potential Benefits
If successfully implemented, the policy could yield multiple advantages:
- Provide structured pathways for talented gamers and developers to turn passion into professional careers.
- Foster local game development studios, generating jobs and export-capable digital products.
- Increase Pakistan’s presence in international esports tournaments, helping brand-building and talent recognition.
- Stimulate youth engagement in tech-driven industries, supporting broader digital economy goals.
- Improve infrastructure and ecosystem: gaming arenas, training centres, university clubs—advancing overall innovation culture.
Challenges Ahead
Despite the enthusiasm, several hurdles remain:
- Infrastructure constraints: Competitive gaming demands ultra-low latency, reliable connectivity—areas where Pakistan still faces challenges.
- Commercialisation gap: As noted by the Minister, turning talent into marketable products remains difficult without publishers, investment, export channels.
- Regulatory clarity needed: Definitions of roles (sports board vs esports body), taxation, intellectual property, prize-money regulation must be clear.
- Cultural perception: Gaming is still sometimes viewed as non-serious; shifting societal mindset takes time.
Outlook & Next Steps
The government aims to finalise and implement the policy in the near future. The meetings in July 2025 represent the foundational step. As the national esports ecosystem takes shape:
- Soon the official policy document will likely be published, along with regulations for the Esports Federation.
- Universities, internet providers, sponsors can start aligning with the new framework (e.g., gaming arenas, high-speed packages).
- Local game developers and esports teams will need to prepare to benefit from opportunities—training, funding, tournaments.
- Stakeholders will watch for how the policy addresses commercialisation, exports and global integration.
Pakistan’s move to launch its first National Esports Policy is a significant milestone: from recognising competitive gaming as a sport/industry to embedding it within national digital economy strategy. While many details are yet to be finalised, the government’s commitment and international collaboration indicate a serious push. For Pakistani gamers, developers and the broader tech ecosystem, this could open a new chapter of growth and opportunity.
