Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday expressed Pakistan’s strong interest in deepening cooperation with China in the areas of space technology, satellite development, telecommunications, and satellite internet services.
During a meeting in Islamabad with a delegation from the Chinese aerospace firm Galaxy Space, led by Chairman Xu Ming, the prime minister emphasized that Pakistan attaches significant importance to the advancement of its space sector.
The Chinese delegates showed enthusiasm for investing in Pakistan’s growing space industry and discussed potential joint ventures with national space institutions and local telecom operators. They appreciated the warm welcome extended by the government and described their meetings with officials from the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication and the Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) as productive.
Federal Ministers Ahad Khan Cheema and Shaza Fatima Khawaja, PM’s Advisor Dr. Tauqir Shah, and other senior government officials also attended the meeting.
Pakistan has been accelerating its efforts in space exploration and technology. Earlier this year, the country launched its first locally-developed Electro Optical Satellite (EOS) from China’s Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre. The satellite is designed to provide critical real-time data on natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes, and landslides.
In 2024, SUPARCO also sent its first lunar satellite, iCube Qamar, aboard China’s Chang’E-6 mission, which Prime Minister Shehbaz described as Pakistan’s milestone in space exploration.
Meanwhile, satellite internet services are also expanding. Starlink is expected to begin operations in Pakistan by the end of 2025, and another Chinese firm, Shanghai SpaceCom, has applied for a license to operate satellite internet services in the country.
