China selects two Pakistanis for astronaut training under joint space programme

China has selected two Pakistani candidates for astronaut training under a joint programme, with one expected to be chosen for a future mission to the Tiangong space station.

The candidates were picked after a multi-stage selection process conducted in Pakistan, which included screening by the Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission.

Reports said hundreds of applicants were evaluated through medical, psychological and technical tests before narrowing down the final two.

The shortlisted candidates — Muhammad Zeeshan Ali and Khurram Daud — will now travel to China to undergo astronaut training.

The programme will include spaceflight theory, physical conditioning, survival training and simulations designed to prepare them for work in microgravity.

After completing the training phase, one of them will be selected as a payload specialist and could travel aboard a Chinese mission to the Tiangong space station. The mission is expected to involve scientific experiments and research activities during a short stay in orbit.

The initiative is part of a cooperation agreement signed between China and Pakistan in 2025, aimed at enabling Pakistan to send its first astronaut into space. The agreement also includes collaboration in space science and technology.

China’s human spaceflight programme has so far been limited to its own astronauts, making this a significant step towards international participation. If the mission goes ahead, the selected candidate would become the first foreign astronaut to visit Tiangong.