Mahak Maqbool vs Murad Ali Shah: National junior chess champion Mahak Maqbool secured an impressive victory against Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah in a friendly chess match on Saturday.
As a token of appreciation for her exceptional accomplishment, the chief minister had asked Mahak, the Under-18 national junior chess champion, to a match. In just 15 moves, Mahak vanquished the regional leader in a show of incredible brilliance.
Mahak just became the youth chess champion of Pakistan after winning the Under-18 championship. She works at Shehzad Roy’s Zindagi Trust and attends SMB Fatima Jinnah School.
Noting that CM Murad Ali Shah, a member of the International Chess Federation since 1992, set a fantastic example by playing against Mahak, renowned philanthropist Shehzad Roy applauded the idea.
“The chief minister played exceptionally well, but Mahak remained calm and focused throughout the game,” Roy commented on Mahak Maqbool vs Murad Ali Shah.
Murad Ali Shah personally congratulated Mahak Maqbool on her outstanding achievement, according to the spokesperson for the Sindh chief minister. He praised her commitment to chess and academics, particularly during her time at a government school.
Mahak just won the 2025 National Youth Chess Championship (NYCC), which took place on Sunday. Under the rules of the International Chess Federation (FIDE), the tournament was arranged by the Chess Federation of Pakistan (CFP) in association with the Karpov Chess Club (KCC).
Pakistan’s official youth chess selection tournament is the NYCC 2025, and the best players progress to represent their nation in international chess tournaments.
Mahak’s performance in the NYCC 2025 and her defeat of CM Murad Ali Shah further cemented her status as one of Pakistan’s most talented young chess player.
