ISLAMABAD, 19 October, 2026 (Kamran Raja): Pakistan’s first astronaut is scheduled to embark on a space mission from China’s space centre on November 25, Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal has announced, as Pakistan aims to achieve a lunar landing by 2035. According to the Ministry of Planning, the minister made the announcement while attending the concluding ceremony of World Space Week in his hometown of Narowal, organised in collaboration with the Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO). China’s state-run Xinhua News Agency reported in April that two Pakistani nationals, Muhammad Zeeshan Ali and Khurram Daud, had been selected for China’s astronaut training programme. Pakistan’s military media wing confirmed in February that both candidates had successfully completed advanced medical, psychological and aptitude assessments in China for a human spaceflight mission. According to Xinhua, one of the two candidates will participate as a payload specialist, becoming the first foreign astronaut to travel aboard China’s Tiangong space station. Ahsan Iqbal said cooperation with China would help Pakistan achieve new milestones in space exploration. Pakistan and China signed an Astronaut Cooperation Agreement in February 2025 to facilitate Pakistan’s participation in space-related activities. The partnership reflects growing cooperation between the two countries in human spaceflight, satellite technology and lunar exploration, while China continues to expand international participation in its Tiangong space station amid intensifying global competition in space exploration. Both countries have previously collaborated on satellite launches and lunar exploration projects, and the latest development is expected to further strengthen their scientific and strategic cooperation.