Pakistan to develop inclusive national Esports policy

July 30, 2025 (MLN): Pakistan is set to take a major leap in the digital economy as the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoITT), in collaboration with the Commonwealth Secretariat and the British Esports Federation, concluded a high-level meeting with a shared commitment to formulate a forward-looking and inclusive National Esports Policy.

The proposed policy will be anchored in international best practices and aims to align with Pakistan’s broader digital and economic development goals.

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

The session brought together key stakeholders including Ms. Amna Batool, MNA and PMYP Focal Person; Mr. Zarrar Hasham Khan, Secretary MoITT; and Dr. Muhammad Ali Malik, Deputy Secretary PMYP.

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

Minister Shaza Fatima underlined the government’s recognition of esports as a viable economic sector and highlighted Pakistan’s rising game development talent, with youth already publishing on international platforms like SEGA and Nintendo. “Commercialization remains our primary challenge. We seek support to bridge this gap and help our developers access global markets,” she stated.

The minister further presented a three-tiered strategy to bolster the sector: introducing specialized training and coursework in game-tech, funding youth-led innovation, and facilitating the commercialization of locally developed games.

Chairman PMYP Rana Mashood emphasized the broader potential of the initiative, calling it a “wonderful opportunity to collaborate on game-tech” and a strategic move to harness digital employment opportunities for Pakistani youth.

The engagement ended on a strong note of collaboration, with all parties agreeing to jointly support the creation of Pakistan’s first esports policy and the formation of a national esports federation.

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