A Pakistani astronaut is expected to travel to China’s space station aboard the Shenzhou-24 mission later this year, becoming the first foreign visitor to the orbital facility, Chinese state media reported on Saturday.
According to Chinese broadcaster CCTV, citing the China Manned Space Agency, the Pakistani astronaut will serve as a payload specialist, participating in scientific and technical activities during the mission.
The flight will take place under a bilateral space cooperation programme between Pakistan and China, linked to Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative.
Although Chinese authorities have not officially identified the astronaut selected for the mission, two Pakistani pilots, Zeeshan Ali and Khurram Daud, have reportedly been undergoing extensive training at the China Astronaut Research and Training Center in Beijing.
A Pakistani space agency official told Reuters in September that both candidates had spent several months preparing for a potential spaceflight.
The mission is expected to mark a significant milestone in China’s human spaceflight programme, representing its first joint space mission involving Chinese and foreign astronauts.
According to CCTV, the Pakistani participant will undertake a short-duration stay aboard the Chinese space station before returning to Earth on the Shenzhou-23 spacecraft.
While the mission is planned for 2026, Beijing has yet to announce an official launch date.
The development represents a major step forward in Pakistan-China scientific cooperation and could mark Pakistan’s first participation in a crewed space mission.
It also reflects China’s efforts to expand international partnerships in space exploration through its growing space diplomacy initiatives.