In the electrifying world of esports there’re quite a few names that resonate like Faker, Simple, Notail and Arslan Ash. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, then you’ve probably heard of Arslan Ash, a Tekken prodigy hailing from Pakistan who dominated the scene with his arcade control panel. Arslan has captivated fans globally, proving that dedication can shatter barriers. He has inspired millions of new generation gamers to chase their dreams in the diverse world of esports.
Enter Pakistan, with its underground gaming rigs filled with arcade machines which have tekken 7 downloaded on them each using the traditional arcade control panels of the previous tekken. Pakistan is the home of the new and undisputed goat of tekken Arslan Ash.
Arslan Siddique known by his alias ‘Arslan Ash’ came from a middle class family rising from the historic city of Lahore. Arslan was not only good in his studies but also excelled at gaming, his love for gaming was shown by the countless hours he would spend in gaming zones at the young age of 4. Arslan was known in his local area for being one of the best tekken players in the area, when he was around 15 he won a Tekken 6 GMC tournament, after which he was recognized by people all across Pakistan. Arslan breezed through tournaments all across Pakistan but despite all this he could not make his international debut due to lack of money and visa issues. It was not until his friends and his mother gave him their full support that he was able to fly across the country to mark his debut.
Stepping onto the big stage, Arslan carried the hopes of his entire country on his shoulders, and who wouldn’t feel the pressure in such a situation? Despite the fact that he had only participated in small tournaments across Asia, Arslan was ready to compete at the highest level at the EVO Japan 2019 so the world could know his name. He stunned the world by defeating top players, including the legendary Knee, and took home the EVO 2019 championship, becoming the first Pakistani player to do so. His victory inspired millions in Pakistan and opened doors for future esports talent in the country. Arslan continued his success by winning his second EVO in the USA later that year, solidifying his place among the world’s elite Tekken players.
In the following years, Arslan would go on to win two more EVO championships in Tekken 7 and his most recent one in Tekken 8. To this day, he remains one of the best Tekken players to ever grace the game. However, Arslan’s journey was never easy, as he often faced visa issues, which have hindered many Tekken players from competing at a global level. Pakistan typically prioritizes cricket players when it comes to enabling international competition, meaning a lot of talent in various sports goes unrecognized, except locally. It would be amazing to see our fellow Pakistanis competing in multiple esports titles like FIFA, CS, LoL, and Dota.
Who knows? Maybe the next Faker will come from Pakistan.
COVID-19 created one of the worst and best times of our lives. From missing out on online classes because we were up all night gaming with the boys, to having no social interaction throughout the pandemic, it was a time of contradictions. However, for esports athletes like Arslan, it was a major setback. While most players were improving by participating in online tournaments, Arslan, like many others, was stuck with poor internet service, unable to compete in these events—even if they were available.
While some may argue that being confined to their households allowed players to grind their favorite games and reach a level where they could compete professionally, I disagree. With a lack of good internet access, many players are still being held back from even competing at a national level.
Imagine if Pakistan had a proper governing body to recognize and support the struggles of rising esports players. If this were to come to fruition, it could completely transform the esports scene in the country. Resources would finally be allocated to fund the dreams of aspiring esports players like Arslan. Better and more affordable internet services would become widely available. With the backing of a fully established governing body, issues such as visa problems could also be resolved. I think, without a doubt, the rise of Arslan has been something unimaginable, and this has helped recognize esports as a legitimate sport in Pakistan. There’s no shame in making a living from it. Perhaps there’s a future for Pakistan in something beyond the tired old cricket, where there’s barely any movement, and half the time, you’re repeating ad slogans word for word because of how often you hear them throughout the airing of the match.
By Ahmad Munir
Writer (Team 2024-2025)