Pakistan crossed a threshold on Wednesday that no amount of satellite launches had quite managed before. The China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) officially announced, in early April 2026, the completion of its first-ever selection of foreign astronauts, and both candidates were Pakistani.[1] Their names: Khurram Daud and Muhammad Zeeshan Ali, two officers who, after surviving a gruelling three-stage evaluation, are now bound for Beijing and, eventually, for the stars.
A Three-Stage Road to the Cosmos
The selection was neither swift nor simple. Both candidates cleared three successive rounds of scrutiny: a preliminary screening conducted on Pakistani soil, followed by comprehensive medical, psychological and aptitude assessments at the Astronaut Centre of China (ACC) in Beijing, and a final round of evaluations held in line with international human spaceflight standards.[2] The CMSA confirmed the process was completed in early April 2026.[3]
The two will now travel to China as reserve astronaut candidates for advanced training. Once all required training and assessments are cleared, one of them will fly aboard a Shenzhou spacecraft as a payload specialist, becoming the first foreign astronaut ever to board China’s Tiangong Space Station.[4] The mission is currently planned for launch in late 2026.
The Agreement That Made It Possible
The groundwork for this moment was laid in February 2025 in Islamabad, when the CMSA and Pakistan’s Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) signed a bilateral Astronaut Cooperation Agreement.[5] The pact, inked under the leadership of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, committed China to selecting and training a group of Pakistani astronauts and sending one to the Chinese Space Station (CSS). Pakistan was chosen as the first foreign partner in China’s astronaut programme, a distinction that officials on both sides described as a reflection of the two countries’ all-weather strategic cooperative partnership.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) confirmed in February 2026 that SUPARCO had successfully completed the secondary phase of candidate selection, signalling that the programme was firmly on track.[6]
PM Shehbaz Receives the Astronauts
The day after the announcement, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif received Khurram Daud and Muhammad Zeeshan Ali at the PM Office in Islamabad. The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, Foreign Secretary Amina Baloch, and Chairman SUPARCO Muhammad Yousaf Khan.[7] The Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan, Jiang Zaidong, was also present.
The prime minister expressed profound pride in the astronauts and called their mission a milestone not just for Pakistan’s scientific community, but for the entire nation. He praised their hard work and dedication, noting that they had earned their place through relentless preparation.[8] He also reaffirmed his commitment to deepening Pakistan’s all-weather friendship with China, calling this collaboration a new dimension in the bilateral relationship.
The astronauts, for their part, told the prime minister they would spare no effort to fulfil the aspirations of the nation.[9]
What They Will Do in Space
The scientific agenda aboard the Tiangong Space Station is both ambitious and applied. The selected payload specialist will conduct experiments in microgravity covering material science, fluid physics, life and biological sciences, and biotechnology.[10] Officials have noted that the findings are expected to yield practical benefits in areas such as climate change resilience, food security, and industrial innovation, fields where Pakistan has direct and pressing stakes.
A Nation Among the Spacefaring Few
For a country that has operated satellites for decades but never sent a human to orbit, the selection of Khurram Daud and Muhammad Zeeshan Ali marks a categorical leap. Pakistan now joins a select group of nations actively engaged in human spaceflight programmes.[11] The CMSA described the development as an iconic achievement of international cooperation and a demonstration of China’s willingness to share the accomplishments of its space industry with the world.
As the two candidates prepare to leave for Beijing and the demanding months of training that await them, the country watches with expectations that, for once, reach beyond the atmosphere.
References
[1] China Manned Space Agency (CMSA). (April 22, 2026). Announcement on selection of first group of foreign astronauts. Xinhua News Agency. https://english.news.cn/20260422/5eced4ba3c2645f8a1e663f5326b52b5/c.html
[2] SUPARCO. (April 22, 2026). Pakistan’s Manned Space Mission Programme update. Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Government of Pakistan. @MoIB_Official (Twitter/X).
[3] Global Times. (April 22, 2026). China selects first foreign astronauts, two Pakistani candidates to train, one to join space station mission. https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202604/1359564.shtml
[4] Profit by Pakistan Today. (April 23, 2026). Pakistan selects two astronauts for China space mission, first flight planned by end-2026. https://profit.pakistantoday.com.pk/2026/04/23/pakistan-selects-two-astronauts-for-china-space-mission-first-flight-planned-by-end-2026/
[5] Xinhua News Agency. (February 2025). China and Pakistan sign Astronaut Cooperation Agreement in Islamabad. Pakistani astronaut to enter Chinese space station-Xinhua
[6] Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). (February 7, 2026). Statement on secondary phase of Pakistani astronaut candidate selection.
[7] PM Office, Government of Pakistan. (April 23, 2026). PM Shehbaz Sharif meets selected astronauts Khurram Daud and Muhammad Zeeshan Ali. Daily Ittehad. https://dailyittehad.com.pk/news/2026/04/23/pm-shehbaz-commends-pakistani-astronauts-selected-for-space-research
[8] Aaj English TV. (April 23, 2026). Pakistani astronauts meet PM Shehbaz Sharif, discuss space mission. https://english.aaj.tv/news/330457350/pakistani-astronauts-meet-pm-shehbaz-sharif-discuss-space-mission
[9] Media Online Today. (April 23, 2026). Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif Meets Pakistani Astronauts Selected for Human Space Mission. https://mediaonlinetoday.com/prime-minister-shahbaz-sharif-meets-pakistani-astronauts-selected-for-human-space-mission/
[10] Bloom Pakistan. (April 22, 2026). SUPARCO Unveils Pakistan’s First-Ever Astronauts Selected for Human Space Mission. https://bloompakistan.com/supaco-pakistan-first-astronauts-human-space-mission/
[11] The Express Tribune. (April 22, 2026). Two Pakistani astronauts selected as candidates for China space programme. https://tribune.com.pk/story/2604178/
