Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal, during an official visit to China, announced that Pakistan aims to send its first astronaut to the Chinese space station in 2026.
The visit focused on strengthening cooperation in space research and nuclear energy between the two nations.
Ahsan Iqbal meets top Chinese space and energy officials
During his visit, Minister Ahsan Iqbal held high-level meetings with the chairman of the China Atomic Energy Authority and the China Space Agency. The discussions revolved around aligning joint efforts in nuclear energy and space exploration with Pakistan’s long-term development goals.
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Iqbal emphasized that Pakistan’s collaboration with China is entering a new era, moving beyond strategic partnership into deep technological cooperation.
Nuclear energy key to addressing climate challenges
Iqbal highlighted that climate change has made the adoption of nuclear energy a necessity. He pointed to the successful cooperation between both countries, including the CANP-2, CANP-3, and Chashma-5 nuclear power plants, as proof of progress in the energy sector.
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He said that under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), long-standing bottlenecks in Pakistan’s energy and infrastructure sectors have been removed, paving the way for sustainable growth.
Pakistan’s space program gets a boost
Under the PM's vision, Iqbal stated that Pakistan’s space program has gained fresh momentum. With Chinese support, Pakistan has already launched three satellites into space and now sets its sights on two major goals:
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Sending its first astronaut to China’s space station by 2026
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Launching a moon mission by 2035, as per targets set for Pakistan’s Space Research Agency
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To prepare for future challenges in technology and space, Pakistan has also established a Quantum Computing Center, the minister noted.
China praises Pakistan’s commitment
Chairman Shan Zhongde commended Ahsan Iqbal’s contributions to the success of CPEC and reaffirmed China’s full support for Pakistan in the fields of nuclear and space technology.
He said the relationship between the two countries, built on strong geo-strategic foundations, has now matured into a dynamic economic and technological partnership.
