DRAFT — for review (not published)

• Suggested slug: pakistani-astronaut-space-mission-china-november-25
• Category: National
• Focus keyphrase: Pakistani astronaut space mission China
• SEO title: Pakistan’s First Astronaut to Fly from China on Nov 25
• Meta description: Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal announced Pakistan’s first astronaut will undertake a space mission from a Chinese space centre on November 25, with a lunar landing targeted by 2035.
• Tags: Ahsan Iqbal, Suparco, Pakistan space programme, Chinese space mission, payload specialist, World Space Week, Zeeshan Ali, Khurram Daud
• Original element: verified update beyond the source item — the two candidate pilots named by Dawn (Zeeshan Ali and Khurram Daud), their selection in April 2026, and the mid-to-late-October selection timeline from Suparco’s Amer Gilani via Reuters, all absent from the planning ministry’s handout alone
• Source: Dawn (“First Pakistani astronaut to undertake space mission from China on Nov 25: Ahsan Iqbal”, https://www.dawn.com/news/2038022/first-pakistani-astronaut-to-undertake-space-mission-from-china-on-nov-25-ahsan-iqbal, published 18 Oct 2026, 02:32pm PKT)
• Story date: 18 October 2026

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Pakistan’s First Astronaut to Undertake Space Mission from China on November 25, Says Ahsan Iqbal

Pakistan’s first astronaut will undertake a space mission from a Chinese space centre on November 25, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal announced on Sunday.

The minister made the announcement while addressing the concluding ceremony of World Space Week in Narowal, organised in collaboration with the Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco). A handout from the planning ministry confirmed the date.

According to the ministry’s statement, the planning minister also said Pakistan was aiming for a lunar landing by 2035, adding that cooperation with China would help the country “reach new heights in space exploration”.

Who will fly

The astronaut will be one of two candidates: pilots Zeeshan Ali and Khurram Daud, whom China selected in April this year for its manned space programme. Both have been undergoing intensive training in Beijing.

China has not yet said which of the two will fly or when. Speaking to Reuters last month, Amer Gilani, who oversees human spaceflight cooperation at Suparco, said a final selection decision was expected in mid-to-late October.

With Iqbal now confirming a November 25 mission date, the selection announcement appears imminent.

A Suparco official quoted by Reuters said the chosen pilot would carry the title of “payload specialist” once in space — astronaut terminology for someone whose job in orbit is to run Pakistan’s science experiments rather than fly the spacecraft.

The astronaut will fly aboard a Chinese-built spacecraft, launched from a Chinese site, trained by Chinese instructors, and will communicate in Mandarin while in orbit.

Why it matters

The November 25 date marks Pakistan’s first crewed space flight — a milestone decades in the making for Suparco, which has built and launched satellites but never sent a person into orbit.

In his address at the Narowal ceremony, Iqbal highlighted the importance of space technology for agriculture, communications, climate monitoring, education and national security.

He stressed that scientific research and space exploration were essential for technological advancement. He also noted that Muslim scholars had once made significant contributions to astronomy and scientific discovery, and called for renewed efforts to restore Pakistan’s leadership in knowledge and research.

Space ambitions gathering pace

The mission announcement is the latest sign of Pakistan’s growing space partnership with China. Our earlier science and technology reporting has tracked the country’s expanding ambitions, including Japan’s MMX mission to bring back samples from Mars’s moon Phobos and Pakistan’s plan to land the Jinnah-1 lunar rover on the moon by 2028.

A lunar landing by 2035 would place Pakistan in a small club of nations attempting moon missions, though the timeline is ambitious and will depend on continued Chinese cooperation.

For now, all eyes are on Beijing, where one of the two Pakistani pilots — Zeeshan Ali or Khurram Daud — is expected to be named as the country’s first astronaut within days.

Frequently asked questions

When is Pakistan’s first astronaut mission?

November 25, 2026, launched from a Chinese space centre, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal announced on October 18.

Who are the astronaut candidates?

Air Force pilots Zeeshan Ali and Khurram Daud, selected by China in April 2026 and currently training in Beijing.

What will the astronaut do in space?

The chosen pilot will serve as a “payload specialist”, running Pakistan’s science experiments in orbit aboard a Chinese spacecraft.

Has Pakistan announced a moon mission?

Ahsan Iqbal said Pakistan is aiming to achieve a lunar landing by 2035 with China’s cooperation.