Esports Around The World: Pakistan

Esports Around The World is a series of profiles outlining the esports ecosystem in various countries globally. The series ties into ESI’s international esports business events, which take place around the world.

Pakistan is the second largest country in South Asia and has seen significant growth in the gaming and esports space in recent years. Despite a limitation on infrastructure and accessibility, the country has remarkable achievements in esports especially when it comes to games in the fighting game community (FGC).

It is a major region in the PUBG Mobile esports circuit as well with its own national competition rolling up to the larger South Asian circuit and eventually the international circuit. 

Professional players Syed ‘Sumail’ Hassan and Arslan ‘Arslan Ash’ Siddique are the two most prominent names originating from the country, with both having been world champions in their respective games, Dota 2 and Tekken, at some point.

Middle Eastern esports and gaming company Galaxy Racer is notably active in Pakistan. Galaxy Racer Pakistan — the regional chapter of the UAE based organisation — opened in October 2021. Later that year, GXR Pakistan announced a partnership with Pakistan’s Special Technology Zones Authority (STZA), a government initiative that encourages foreign technology companies to invest in Pakistan.

The organisation has hosted an esports and gaming festival in Pakistan called Gamer’s Galaxy, a two-day event that became the first to be televised nationwide in partnership with Ten Sports Pakistan. Galaxy Racer is also behind the Supreme Galactic League, one the bigger esports intellectual properties in the region.

Pakistan has a large youth population, with 64% of the country’s roughly 207 million population under the age of 30, according to UN data. Galaxy Racer Pakistan CEO Fakhr-e-Alam has cited the youth population as a reason for its investment in the country.

Pakistan’s Minister of Science and Technology, Fawad Chaudhry, expressed his intentions to give official status to the esport industry in Pakistan in 2020. A memorandum between Pakistan Science Foundation and the Pakistan Sports Board was subsequently signed, which recognises esports as an official sport.

Chaudhry has been bullish about the growth of esports and gaming and has consistently tried to grow the ecosystem with various initiatives.

Additionally, in 2021, the Government of Pakistan officially recognised and embraced esports through an initiative named E-PAK, which included an official competitive gaming event. The first official event from the venture was the Free Fire Pakistan League, a competitive Free Fire series. 

Finally, Pakistan’s government initiative Special Technology Zones Authority partnered with Galaxy Racer in October 2021.

Pakistan has a relatively small choice when it comes to domestically-focused tournaments. No major S-tier esports events have been held in Pakistan.

Note that this is a non-exhaustive list and exclusion does not signify an org is not notable.

Note that inclusion in this list does not suggest any acknowledgement from ESI of its authority, works or official capacity.

When announcing its Supreme Galactic League, GXR Pakistan also announced an initiative called Scholar’s Galaxy, a nationwide inter-college and school esports circuit. However, no further details have been released about the collegiate championship, and its status and fate could not be verified at time of publication.

There are no other known educational initiatives by the government or third party companies in Pakistan.

This is a preliminary country profile and will be augmented with additional information over time. If you have any suggestions or feedback for this profile, please get in touch at [email protected]