BEIJING: China has selected two Pakistani astronauts as candidates for its human spaceflight programme, the China Manned Space Agency said on Wednesday.
The agency termed it a landmark achievement in international cooperation on the Chinese space station.
In a statement, it said that Muhammad Zeeshan Ali and Khurram Daud will come to China soon as reserve astronauts for training.
“After completing all training and evaluations, one of them will participate in a space mission as a payload specialist, becoming the first foreign astronaut onboard the Tiangong space station,” it said.
Bilateral space cooperation
In February 2025, Pakistan’s Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco) and the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) signed a formal astronaut cooperation agreement.
The CMSA later confirmed that two Pakistani astronauts would be trained in China, with one to join a future Tiangong mission as a payload specialist.
The selected astronaut would conduct scientific experiments on behalf of Pakistan while also performing standard crew duties aboard the station.
Scientific and strategic significance
The government described the initiative as a step towards inspiring nationwide participation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields and supporting the growth of a future aerospace workforce.
Analysts say the mission will elevate Pakistan’s global profile in peaceful and scientific space exploration, while reinforcing long-standing strategic ties between Islamabad and Beijing.
