LAHORE: The Punjab government plans to build a dedicated e-games facility equipped with modern technology as part of a wider push to expand opportunities for young people in Pakistan’s fast-growing e-sports sector, Punjab Sports Minister Malik Faisal Ayub Khokhar said on Friday.
Speaking at a ceremony at Punjab Stadium ahead of the E-Sports National Championship, Khokhar said the provincial government wanted to create stronger pathways for talented gamers to compete professionally and represent Pakistan internationally.
The championship will be held at the Gymnasium Hall of Nishtar Park Sports Complex in Lahore on August 29 and 30, with some of Pakistan’s leading e-sports players expected to participate.
Khokhar said around 7,000 players have registered for the event, describing the response as evidence of the rapidly growing popularity of competitive gaming among Pakistani youth.
The minister also met captains of the 16 participating teams during the ceremony. Secretary Sports Punjab Fazal-ur-Rehman, Director General Sports Punjab Muhammad Tariq Qureshi, Director Youth Affairs M. Fahad and other officials were also present.
A total cash prize of Rs3 million will be distributed among winners and other top-performing players at the championship, according to the minister.
Punjab Eyes Dedicated E-Games Building
Khokhar said the Punjab government would establish a modern e-games building equipped with state-of-the-art facilities to provide professional players with better training and competition opportunities.
He said the province intended to increase its support for e-sports while continuing investment in traditional physical sports.
“Along with e-sports, we are also promoting physical sports across the province,” he said.
The minister said Pakistan had significant potential in competitive gaming and pointed to the success of Pakistani Tekken players on the international stage. He cited M. Zubair’s recent Tekken 8 title at the Esports World Cup and Arslan Ash’s victory at the Tekken World Tour Finals in 2023.
Khokhar said such achievements showed that Pakistani players could compete against the world’s best if provided with the right facilities, training and institutional backing.
He added that the Punjab Sports Department was working under the leadership of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz to develop Punjab into a major sports hub, with greater focus on both established disciplines and emerging areas such as e-sports.
The minister said the government would continue providing talented young people with opportunities to develop their skills and compete at national and international levels.
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