Pakistan seeks UAE help for first space mission

• Pakistan seeks to enhance cooperation in the space sector with the UAE, says Fawad.
• The minster has also invited UAE to invest in precision agriculture in Pakistan.

Federal Minister for Science and Technology Chaudhry Fawad Hussain has sought the expertise of United Arab Emirates (UAE), as the country seeks to launch its first manned space mission by 2022.

“We would also like to enhance cooperation in the space sector with the UAE as it has just opened up a space university,” said Fawad Chaudhry, quoted Khaleej Times. “I would like the UAE space university to sign MoUs with Pakistani universities as we plan to send our first manned mission in space in 2022 and we want UAE's cooperation in the mission,” he said.

As Pakistan seeks to send its first astronaut on space mission by 2022, Pakistan would begin its search for the country's first astronaut this year, “The initial briefings for Pakistan's first manned mission to space has started. Pakistan Air Force (PAF) has been given the task," said Chaudhry last month.

He informed that the list of some fifty recruits for the mission will be compiled this year, meanwhile the astronaut training would begin in 2021.

Meanwhile, the minster has also invited UAE to invest in precision agriculture in Pakistan. "The UAE is one of the biggest investor in agriculture. We can offer land and expertise to Dubai companies who want to come to Pakistan and invest in precision agriculture. We can have lucrative business deals for those UAE companies," he said.