ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is drafting its first esports policy and establishing a national federation to support game developers and a gaming community of about 60 million Pakistanis, state media reported on Tuesday.

The report comes after Pakistan sought support from British Esports Federation and Commonwealth Secretariat in July to help shape the effort.

Esports is a fast-growing, multibillion-dollar global industry involving organized and competitive video gaming, where individuals or teams compete in professional tournaments for prize money, sponsorships and international recognition.

Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan, chairman of the Prime Minister’s Youth Program, announced the development at a ceremony in Islamabad.

“Around 60 million Pakistanis are directly or indirectly involved in esports and the new policy will also support game developers and digital innovators,” he was quoted as saying by the Radio Pakistan broadcaster.

Khan said the government of PM Shehbaz Sharif is taking “concrete steps to create opportunities for youth” in this regard.

In July, Pakistan’s Information Technology Minister Shaza Khawaja met British representatives to discuss collaboration about the policy’s development.

Pakistan has recently made strides in the esports arena, particularly in Tekken.

In August, Pakistan’s Arslan ‘Ash’ Siddique added another title to his name by winning the Tekken 8 tournament at the Evolution Championship Series (EVO) 2025, according to digital platform Red Bull Gaming.

Siddique defeated fellow Pakistani player Atif Butt at the premier global esports event held in Las Vegas, United States, which featured over 2,500 players as part of the Tekken World Tour and Esports World Cup qualifiers.

In March, a Pakistani team delivered a historic victory in Seoul during a special Tekken 8 event, ending South Korea’s long-standing dominance in competitive Tekken esports.