NAVEED SIDDIQUI

ISLAMABAD: In a major milestone for space exploration and technological progress, Pakistan has successfully launched its Remote Sensing Satellite from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre (XSLC) in China, Foreign Office (FO) announced here on Thursday.

“The satellite will provide high-resolution, round-the-clock imaging, significantly strengthening Pakistan’s capabilities in urban planning, infrastructure development, disaster management and mitigation, agricultural monitoring, food security, environmental protection, deforestation tracking, climate change analysis, and water resource management,” FO spokesperson said in a statement.

Launched by Pakistan’s national space agency, SUPARCO, the spokesperson added, in collaboration with the China Electronics Technology Group Corporation (CETC) and MICROSAT China, the satellite represents a cornerstone of an integrated Earth observation system. It is set to support sustainable socio-economic development and improve the quality of life across the country.

With this latest success, Pakistan reaffirms its position among the community of space-faring nations, leveraging innovation to pursue a more secure, sustainable, and prosperous future.

Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, commended the dedication of the engineers, scientists, and technical teams from SUPARCO Pakistan and CETC and MICROSAT China for their exemplary cooperation and unwavering commitment to the mission.

In a message, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has extended heartfelt congratulations to SUPARCO and the entire team on the successful launch of Pakistan’s advanced remote sensing satellite. This achievement showcases the soaring heights of Pakistan-China cooperation, extending beyond borders and into outer space, driven by a shared vision to harness space technology for the betterment of humanity. The satellite will have wide ranging benefits for CPEC as well as applications for use in agriculture, urban planning, disaster management, mapping of transportation networks and data acquisition in different environments.

“We are grateful to our Chinese partners for their invaluable support and collaboration in advancing Pakistan’s space programme,” the PM remarked.