Pakistan’s gaming and app development ecosystem has been growing rapidly, with locally-produced apps recording a compound annual growth rate of 32% in global downloads between 2018 and 2023.
A technical assistance programme, using Esports as a vehicle to engage youth, create employment, and drive digital skills, has been completed by the Commonwealth Secretariat’s Social Policy Development, Youth and Gender team. With over 170 million young people in Pakistan, there is ample opportunity not only to tap into the local market but to further expand international reach.
The Government has outlined a three-pronged approach to creating new opportunities for specialised training, funding initiatives, and targeted support for local entrepreneurship initiatives.
Invited by the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme (PMYP), the Secretariat is collaborating with the British Esports Federation to bolster Pakistan’s digital knowledge and skill. This will involve drafting an Esports Policy, which is currently being consulted on, and creating a framework for the Pakistan Esports Federation, which will promote esports across the country.
The draft policy and the framework are expected to be adopted in the next few months, ahead of the launch of a national Esports federation.
The Commonwealth’s visit to Pakistan also involved forming partnerships with relevant ministries and stakeholders, including the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication, the departments of IT, Education, and Sport, the British Council, and the private sector.
Head of Social Policy Development, Youth and Gender, Layne Robinson, said:
“Today, Pakistan stands at the threshold of a new digital era—where Esports is no longer just a game, but a gateway to skills, jobs, innovation, and global relevance. Through this landmark collaboration with the Commonwealth, the Prime Ministers Youth Programme, British Esport Federation and local stakeholders have laid the foundation for Esports Pakistan—a national platform that harnesses the power of youth, technology, and talent. What begins as play will shape our future.”
Formal meetings also took place which brought together national stakeholders and international partners, including the Commonwealth Secretariat and the British Esports Federation, to reinforce shared goals in youth development, esports innovation, and digital inclusion.
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The meeting was chaired by the Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, and co-chaired by Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan, Chairman of the PMYP. Also in attendance were senior government officials including the Secretary of Information Technology and Telecommunication, Secretary of the IPC, Secretary Education and Acting Chairman of the Higher Education Commission (HEC), as well as Member of the National Assembly of Pakistan and PMYP representative Syeda Amnah Batool.
