National champ Mehak beats CM Shah in chess battle

KARACHI: National junior chess champion Mehak Maqbool defeated Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah in a friendly chess match on Saturday.

Mehak, the Under-18 national junior chess champion, was invited by the chief minister to the match to recognise her achievement. She beat the provincial chief executive in 15 moves.

Mehak, a student at SMB Fatima Jinnah School, which operates under Shehzad Roy’s Zindagi Trust, recently claimed the Under-18 title to become Pakistan’s junior chess champion.

Philanthropist Roy lauded the initiative, saying CM Shah sent a strong message by inviting Mehak to the match.

"The chief minister is a skilled chess player, but Mehak managed to checkmate him," Roy remarked.

Roy further praised Mehak’s confidence during the game, saying that the match did not last long.

"The chief minister played very well, but Mehak was highly composed throughout," he added.

He also emphasised the importance of promoting chess among children to reduce screen time and encourage critical thinking.

Sindh CM Shah congratulated the Under-18 national chess champion on her achievement, according to the provincial chief executive's spokesperson.

The chief minister praised Mehak for excelling in both academics and chess while studying at a government school. He acknowledged her remarkable performance and commended her dedication to the sport.

Mehak had won the won the National Youth Chess Championship (NYCC) 2025 on Sunday, organised by the Chess Federation of Pakistan (CFP) and Karpov Chess Club (KCC).

The NYCC 2025, organised under International Chess Federation rules, is the official selection tournament for the national youth team. The top performers will eventually represent Pakistan in the forthcoming international chess championships.

The champions of the tournament were: Mehak Maqbool, who secured 1st place in the U-18 category (SMB Fatima Jinnah Government School, adopted by Zindagi Trust); Yamna Siddiqui, who claimed 2nd place in the U-14 category (Govt SMB Fatima Jinnah School); and Alina Siddiqui, who earned 3rd place in the U-12 category (from the same school).