LAHORE: Ashaz Merchant, a Pakistani chess prodigy, has become the firstunder-12 player in the country to attain the prestigious title of FIDE Arena Candidate Master.

His journey in the world of chess is not only marked by this remarkable achievement, but also by his representation of Pakistan in various other prestigious competitions.

In 2022, Merchant represented Pakistan at the Western Asian Chess Championship held in Maldives. The following year (in 2023) he showcased his skills on the internationalstage by participating in the 2nd Asian Youth Chess Championship.

He has also represented Pakistan in the WorldSchool Team Chess Championship held in Kazakhstan, following his victory in the National School Championship.