Pakistan’s first Pakistani astronaut in space is due to fly on November 25 from a Chinese space centre, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal said on Sunday, framing the trip as a landmark step in the country’s partnership with China on human spaceflight.
Iqbal spoke at the closing ceremony of World Space Week 2026 in Narowal, organised with the Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco), the national space agency. The planning ministry said he linked the mission to wider goals in research and technology, and said cooperation with China should help Pakistan “reach new heights in space exploration.”
Who may fly, and what the job is
The flyer will be one of two pilots China selected in April for its crewed programme: Muhammad Zeeshan Ali and Khurram Daud. Both have been in intensive training in Beijing. China has not publicly said which of them will go, or confirmed a launch date of its own.
Amer Gilani, who oversees human spaceflight cooperation at Suparco, said last month that a final astronaut selection was expected in mid-to-late October. A Suparco official has said the selected pilot will serve as a “payload specialist”—in plain terms, someone who runs Pakistan’s science experiments in orbit rather than piloting the spacecraft.
The first Pakistani astronaut in space is expected to travel to China’s Tiangong space station under a bilateral programme. Training has been led by Chinese instructors; the craft and launch site are Chinese; and the crew is to communicate in Mandarin in orbit.
Broader space plans Iqbal outlined
Iqbal said Pakistan is aiming for a lunar landing by 2035. He stressed space technology’s role in agriculture, communications, climate monitoring, education and national security, and called for stronger scientific research.
He also announced plans for Pakistan’s first Space Museum at the University of Narowal, meant to raise awareness and draw young people into space science. Suparco and the China Manned Space Agency signed an agreement in February 2025 to prepare a Pakistani astronaut for the flight. The two countries are also working on a Pakistani lunar rover for China’s Chang’e-8 mission, expected around 2028.
Timeline: what has happened so far
- February 2025: Suparco and the China Manned Space Agency agree to prepare a Pakistani astronaut for a crewed mission.
- April 2026: China selects pilots Muhammad Zeeshan Ali and Khurram Daud as candidates; training continues in Beijing.
- September 2026 (approx.): Suparco’s Amer Gilani says a final selection decision is expected in mid-to-late October.
- Sunday (Narowal): Ahsan Iqbal announces a November 25 launch from a Chinese centre and restates a 2035 lunar-landing goal.
- Around 2028: A Pakistani lunar rover is planned for China’s Chang’e-8 mission.
- 2035: Pakistan’s stated target year for a lunar landing.
Aasan alfaaz mein
Pakistan ka pehla astronaut 25 November ko China se space jany wala hai, Ahsan Iqbal ne kaha. Do pilots training mein hain; abhi yeh clear nahi ke kaun jayega. Woh Tiangong station par Pakistan ke science experiments chalayega. Yeh step students aur science ke liye ummeed ki baat hai, lekin asaan zindagi ke bills is se seedha nahi badalte.
