Pakistan will soon establish its first Esports Federation and a Game Development Center, the government announced, in a bid to support the country’s fast-growing gaming community. The initiative comes as more than 50 million young Pakistanis actively engage with esports and related activities.
The announcement was made by Rana Mashhood Ahmed Khan, Chairman of the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme (PMYP), while presenting the programme’s annual performance report. He said the federation will be integrated with the Digital Youth Hub, which currently has 600,000 registered users and hosts 100,000 job opportunities from over 3,000 organisations. This linkage will allow trained players and developers to pursue internships, jobs, and access to international tournaments.
The esports push is part of the government’s wider youth empowerment plan, which rests on four pillars: engagement, employment, environment, and education. The PMYP already offers scholarships and the National Innovation Awards, while also supporting talent hunt programmes covering 23 sports disciplines, with plans for new academies and sports technology labs.
Khan further announced that the government will train two million young people in disaster risk management within three years, alongside expanded technical training in hospitality, health, and information technology. A modern software platform is also under development to prepare youth for evolving market demands.
Officials say the move aims not only to grow Pakistan’s presence in global esports but also to strengthen digital skills, entrepreneurship, and youth employment in the country’s tech-driven economy.
