In the late 1990s and early 2000s, a modest gaming subculture took shape in Lahore’s neighbourhood arcades, where children lined up in cramped rooms around old consoles, putting coins into machines after school.

Two decades later, that small, tightly knit community has produced some of the world’s top Tekken players, who are challenging and often defeating competitors from countries long considered global powerhouses in e-gaming, including South Korea.

Pakistan’s breakthrough moment came in 2019, when Arslan Siddique, better known as Arslan Ash, impressed the international circuit by grabbing the Tekken 7 World Championship title in Japan. His victory put Pakistan on the global e-sports map.

Since then, Arslan has continued to dominate international tournaments, while a growing number of Pakistani players have entered the top tiers of global rankings.

Nearly all Pakistan’s top Tekken players trace their beginnings to local gaming shops where they polished talent through hours of play, rivalry and shared learning

Behind these wins is a story rooted not in high-end gaming rigs or institutional support, but in neighbourhood arcades and informal competitions. Nearly all of Pakistan’s top Tekken players trace their beginnings to the same places, i.e. local gaming shops where talent was polished through hours of play, rivalry, and shared learning, long before the sponsors could take any interest in them.

“When I was younger, arcade culture was very popular, and we had an arcade near our house. I went there with my cousins and neighbours after school. This is how I started,” Arsalan told Dawn.

He said the local arcades were also the place where children, mostly from middle and lower-middle-class families, made friends.

Recalling the time when computer-based team games made their way into Pakistan, Arsalan said he stayed at the arcade both because of interest and also because of the exorbitant cost of new games.

“I belong to a poor family, and we used to think that this [LAN gaming] was for the rich, and we couldn’t afford it. So, I never tried that.

“Another thing was that those games were played between teams, but I used to play alone. They, I think, charged hourly, but I used to play mostly for free. When nobody was able to defeat me, only one coin used to be enough for me. That was the reason I remained in arcade gaming,” he said.

Tekken has become the game of choice for many e-gaming enthusiasts in Lahore, especially after Arslan’s international success, which many saw as proof that passion could become a career. But hurdles remain.

Zamin Abbas, the owner of Maniax Gaming, a popular arcade among Tekken players, told Dawn that more new players were practicing and learning the game, even if some could not afford the fees. “We support them by not charging them.”

Lahore’s Tekken community

Arslan shared how he became part of the wider Lahore gaming community. He said the city has become a hub for Tekken, attracting players from cities like Gujranwala, Multan, Faisalabad, and even Kashmir.

“The reason for this, I think, is the lack of gaming-capable internet…if you want to play, you will have to come to the local gaming community... Every game requires a community, and community is the basis on which Pakistani players have made a name internationally,” he said.

“The Tekken community is very strong in Pakistan…we have learnt the game.”

Irfan Bhatti, another player, said he learned tactics by studying international players. “Back in 2015, there was an arcade on Bund Road where the owner installed an internet connection. He used to download videos of Korean players…From there, we learnt techniques of the game”.

After dominating local arcades, Arslan aimed for international competition in 2018-19. According to Irfan, Arslan’s 2019 win inspired other players to aim for international tournaments, creating a snowball effect.

Danyal Chishty, CEO of e-sports startup Baaz, said, “When Arslan won the world title, e-sports took off. Now, international and local companies are taking notice.”

“Now our events are being viewed worldwide…,” Danyal told Dawn.

Sponsors and government support

Danyal added that e-sports, though niche, attracted a dedicated young audience, catching the attention of corporates and the government.

Focal Person for the Prime Minister’s Youth Program Fahad Shahbaz said that as part of the government’s vision to enhance the IT exports to $25 billion, e-sports was being seen as one of its components.

He said that an e-sports policy was being developed. Apart from this, international forums such as the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and Shanghai Cooperation Organisation also held e-sports competitions, and the government wanted to support Pakistani players compete on those platforms.

“...the government was looking to provide infrastructure, ease taxation, and build e-sports arenas and academies to promote e-sports.”

Others are also taking an interest in e-sports, and public educational institutions might be the first to leap. Punjab University Director of Sports Dr Shabbir Sarwar told Dawn that the university was planning to conduct e-sports activities. He said that at a recent meeting of the Higher Education Commission the federation proposed e-sports should be conducted at the intervarsity level. “Although many voices were against this proposal, we believe that e-sports is a reality,”

he said.

However, there are sceptics like Zamin of Maniax Gaming. “The government is not involved in this field, and that is the reason we are at the top,” he said, calling out “favouritism” at the government level. “E-sports survived and thrived…with its own efforts, and now Pakistan is number one in the world.”

Even with support, challenges remain. Arslan said that high-speed internet, expensive consoles, and gaming computers limit access. “To mainstream e-sports here, we need infrastructure, tournaments, and leagues. A local league would help the most.”

Arslan said that although some private companies had taken an interest in holding e-sports events, it was a one-time thing. “Only international companies are supporting e-sports…companies from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and the US are supporting players here,” he added.

Danyal also pointed out that getting sponsored funding inside Pakistan was slowed down by red tape.

Even with all these pro­b­l­ems, e-sports has been gaining traction in Pakis­tan. Last year, players and commentators from the US, South Korea and the UK came to Pakistan. “I am hopeful that more players from around the world will also come here to play,” Irfan said.

Published in Dawn, December 22nd, 2025