Pakistani astronaut selected for upcoming flight to China Tiangong space station
A Pakistani astronaut will travel to China’s Tiangong space station aboard the Shenzhou-24 mission, becoming the first foreigner to visit the orbiting outpost, Beijing’s manned space agency said on Saturday. Pakistan and China are close diplomatic and strategic partners, and signed a deal in February 2025 setting up a Chinese government training programme for Pakistani astronauts. The statement by the China National Space Administration (CNSA) did not give a date of departure, but the mission is expected to take place by the end of the year. However, earlier in October, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal said the space mission would take place on Nov 25 while addressing a ceremony. The Pakistani astronaut, a payload specialist, will join a short orbital flight before returning with the Shenzhou-23 spaceship, which docked at the Tiangong space station in May, according to the CMSA. The agency did not name the Pakistani crew member, but said in April that astronauts Muhammad Zeeshan Ali and Khurram Daud had been chosen to start training in China. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met the two in April, and congratulated them on their selection. He said the space mission was a “matter of pride for the entire nation” and further commended their “round-the-clock efforts” in achieving the milestone. PM Shehbaz hoped that the space mission would “add new dimensions to the brotherly relationship between Pakistan and China”. Beijing has invested heavily in its space programme in recent years — catching up with its main rival the United States — and aims to land astronauts on the Moon by 2030. Pakistan is a natural partner, given the countries decades-long, “all-weather” friendship. China is Pakistan’s largest trading partner and a major foreign investor. In February 2025, Suparco and CMSA had signed a cooperation agreement. Under the pact, two Pakistanis were to train in China, with one joining a mission on the Tiangong space station operated by Beijing. China has been barred from participating in the International Space Station since 2011, when the US prohibited Nasa from collaborating with Chinese space agencies. Since then, Beijing has sought to build partnerships with other countries — including Pakistan — in its expanding space programme.
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A Pakistani astronaut is set to become the first foreign national to visit China's Tiangong space station after being selected to fly on the upcoming Shenzhou-24 mission, according to an announcement from Chinese manned space officials.
The space traveller will serve as a payload specialist during a brief flight in orbit before returning to Earth aboard the Shenzhou-23 capsule, which has been docked at the orbital station since May. Although China's space authorities did not officially confirm a specific launch schedule beyond anticipating the mission before the end of the year, Pakistani Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal previously indicated in October that the launch is planned for November 25.
Officials have not publicly confirmed which individual has been designated for the flight. Earlier this year, two Pakistani candidates, Muhammad Zeeshan Ali and Khurram Daud, were selected to undergo rigorous training in China following an agreement reached between Pakistan's national space agency, Suparco, and the China Manned Space Agency in February 2025.
Under that bilateral accord, Beijing agreed to prepare two Pakistani personnel, with the understanding that one would eventually participate in an operational mission to Tiangong. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met both candidates in April, praising their dedication and describing the upcoming voyage as a major source of pride that would deepen strategic and diplomatic ties between the two allied countries.
The mission represents an important milestone for China's burgeoning space exploration programme. After being excluded from the International Space Station in 2011 due to United States legislation preventing NASA from collaborating with Chinese agencies, Beijing constructed its own permanently crewed orbital facility. It has since sought to foster international cooperation with regional partners while pursuing ambitious goals that include sending crewed missions to the Moon by 2030.
The initiative also reflects the long-standing strategic alignment between Beijing and Islamabad. China remains Pakistan's foremost trading partner and primary source of foreign investment, with both governments frequently citing their enduring diplomatic ties as a foundation for expanded cooperation in scientific research and advanced technology.
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VerifiedReported from Dawn (Pakistan).
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