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PAKISTANI SATELLITE PART OF CHINA’S CHANG’E-6 LUNAR MISSION LAUNCHED FROM HAINAN
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ISLAMABAD
CHANG’E-6 AIMS TO COLLECT AROUND 2KG OF LUNAR SAMPLES FROM FAR SIDE OF MOON AND BRING THEM BACK
STAFF REPORT
AKISTAN’s space programme achieved a historic milestone on Friday as the country’s first-ever lunar orbiter lifted off from China’s Henan Space Launch Site. The Pakistani satellite is part of China’s Chang’e-6 lunar mission, which was launched from Hainan, China, on Friday. The mission, which aims to explore the moon’s “dark side”, will employ lunar research payloads from multiple countries, including Pakistan’s iCube Qamar satellite. The launch of satellite ICUBE-Qamar was telecast live from the Institute of Space Technology’s (IST) website. The journey towards sending a lunar orbiter commenced in 2022, when the China National Space Agency (CNSA), in collaboration with the Asia Pacific Space Cooperation Organization (APSCO), extended an invitation to member states to contribute a studentbuilt payload for the Chang’e 6 mission to Earth’s nearest celestial body. The Institute of Space Technology (IST) on Tuesday said Pakistan’s “historic” lunar module iCube-Q, which was designed by IST in collaboration with China’s Shanghai University (SJTU) and Pakistan’s national space agency Suparco, will be aboard Chang’e-6. The mission, dubbed Chang’e, is named after the mythical Chinese moon goddess. Chang’e-6 aims to collect around two kilogrammes of lunar samples from the far side of the Moon and bring them back to Earth for analysis. Chinese state news agency Xinhua hailed it as “the first endeavour of its kind in the history of human lunar exploration”. “Chang’e-6 will collect samples from the far side of the Moon for the first time,” Ge Ping, vice director of China’s Lunar Exploration and Space Engineering Centre, told journalists.
China will send a robotic spacecraft in the coming days on a round trip to the moon’s far side in the first of three technically demanding missions that will pave the way for an inaugural Chinese crewed landing and a base on the lunar south pole. The probe is set to land in the immense South Pole-Aitken Basin, one of the largest known impact craters in the solar system. Once there, it will scoop up lunar soil and rocks, and carry out other experiments in the landing zone. With no direct line of sight with the Earth, Chang’e-6 must rely on a recently deployed relay satellite orbiting the moon during its 53-day mission, including a never-before-attempted ascent from the moon’s “hidden” side on its return journey home. On Chang’e-6, China is carrying payloads from France, Italy, Sweden and Pakistan, while Chang’e-7 will bear payloads from Russia, Switzerland and Thailand when it launches in 2026. Nasa is banned by US law from any collaboration, direct or indirect, with China. Under the separate Nasa-led Artemis programme, US astronauts will land near the south pole in 2026 — the first hu-
Senior journalist, two others killed in Khuzdar IED blast QUETTA
STAFF REPORT
President Khuzdar Press Club along with two other persons were killed ‘apparently’ in a targeted IED blast in Chamrok area of Balochistan’s Khuzdar district on Friday, officials confirmed. claimed the lives of at least three individuals, including the President of Khuzdar Press Club, , on Friday, According to the police, the tragic incident, coinciding with World Press Freedom Day, occurred on Sultan Ibrahim Khan Road as a remote-controlled device detonated near Muhammad Siddique Mengal’s vehicle while he was en route from his residence to the university. Mengal, who was also a provincial officer-bearer of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F), was killed instantly, while approximately ten others sustained injuries, according to police officials. First responders swiftly transported the injured pedestrians to Khuzdar District Headquarters Hospital for treatment. Upon receiving reports of the explosion, police and rescue teams rushed to the scene, cordoning off the area and initiating investigations. A large number of people reached the hospital after the incident. Sources indicate that Mengal had received a death threat in the form of a letter last month, raising concerns about his safety. Additionally, a few months prior, he narrowly escaped an assassination attempt in a shooting incident. Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfaraz Bugti swiftly denounced the attack and instructed the Inspector General of Police to expedite efforts to apprehend those responsible.
Rs 20.00 | Vol XIV No 304 I 8 Pages I Islamabad Edition
mans on the moon since 1972. ICUBE-Qamar The ‘ICUBE-Qamar’ (ICUBE-Q) was submitted as a proposal for a lunar CubeSat by the IST. The proposal was selected after an evaluation process. The development of the payload is a collaborative effort between IST’s students and faculty, SUPARCO and China’s Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU). The payload comprises three components: the CubeSat, the separation mechanism, and the mounting bracket. With a weight of approximately 7 kilograms, it houses two cameras for capturing images of the lunar surface, along with various sensors and equipment for deep-space communication, altitude control, and other operational tasks. The primary measure of mission success hinges on the seamless separation of the ICUBE-Q CubeSat into lunar orbit from the Chang’e-6 Orbiter. Subsequently, the secondary objective involves confirming the orbiter’s functionality through the reception of the beacon signal emitted by ICUBE-Q. Upon successful separation, the orbiter will undertake Earth and lunar imaging tasks, aiming to capture images featuring at least two celestial objects to-
gether, such as the Earth, Moon, and the orbiter itself. In addition to imaging tasks, ICUBE-Q will gather data on the lunar magnetic field, facilitating the establishment of a lunar magnetic field model. This endeavor holds promise for future missions and international collaboration efforts concerning lunar exploration. Congratulations President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif congratulated the nation on the successful launch of Pakistan’s maiden lunar mission. State-run broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported that the president congratulated the IST, Suparco and the China National Space Administration on the achievement. He said the successful launch would be a “milestone” for Pakistan’s space programme. The president also commended the cooperation between Pakistan and China in aerospace. PM Shehbaz hailed the iCube-Q satellite as “Pakistan’s first step in space” and said that Pakistani scientists and engineers were “proving their mettle … like the expertise they exhibited in the nuclear technology [programme]”. The prime minister said that Pakistan and China’s friendship, which was “higher than Himalayas, deeper than ocean, and sweeter than honey” had now “crossed the frontiers of space”. The premier watched the live launch of the mission. The acceptance of Pakistan’s mission among eight countries was the recognition of the capabilities of the country’s scientists and experts, he added. “This is a historic milestone in the technological development. By this achievement, Pakistan has entered a new era of exploring space for productive purposes,” the prime minister remarked. PM Shehbaz said the achievement would help build Pakistan’s capacity in the satellite communications besides opening up new avenues for scientific research, economic development and national security.
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PM Shehbaz, Bilawal pick new governors for Punjab, KP and Balochistan ISLAMABAD
STAFF REPORT
The federal government on Friday agreed to appoint new governors for Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan following a highlevel meeting between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari. Under an agreement reached between the ruling PML-N and PPP, Sardar Salim Haider has been selected as the governor of Punjab, Faisal Karim Kundi for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Jaffar Khan Mandokhel for Balochistan. According to sources, these appointments were finalised subsequent to a meeting between Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, where discussions primarily revolved around the gubernatorial positions in Punjab, Balochistan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. During the meeting, PM Shehbaz hosted a luncheon for Bilawal, fostering an environment conducive to deliberations on the current political landscape of Pakistan and the crucial task of appointing
governors. Bilawal proposed various names for the governorships, which were ultimately endorsed by the prime minister. Sardar Salim Haider, with prior experience as Special Assistant to the PM on Overseas Pakistanis and as Minister of State for Defence and Defence Production, was nominated for the role of Punjab’s governor. Faisal Karim Kundi, former Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly under the federal government of PPP, currently assumes the position of Secretary of Information within the party and has
been designated as the governor of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. So both top leaders of KP, Chief Minister and Governor, are now from same district, Dera Ismail Khan. Jaffar Khan Mandokhel, known for his longstanding affiliation with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and his multiple tenures as an elected MPA, has been appointed as the governor of Balochistan. Furthermore, it was agreed that the governorship of Sindh would remain with MQM-Pakistan, with the incumbent Kamran Khan Tessori retaining his position.
ISLAMABAD
STAFF REPORT
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday expressed the hope that the interaction with the delegation of Saudi businessmen expected to visit Pakistan in the next few days would prove productive. The prime minister, who chaired a high-level meeting to review the progress on Saudi investment and projects in the country, directed the authorities concerned to accord warm hospitality to the delegation. The participants were briefed about the upcoming visit of Saudi businessmen and their expected investment in different sectors. The prime minister thanked the Saudi leadership for promoting investment in Pakistan and taking measures for the country’s progress and prosperity. Apprising the meeting of his recent Saudi visit, Prime Minister Shehbaz appreciated the relevant ministers and officers for their well-preparedness. He told the participants that the Saudi leadership had assured their all-out support for Pakistan’s prosperity which was welcoming. Referring to the bilateral cordial ties with Saudi Arabia that spanned over decades, he said Pakistan was fortunate to have a wellwisher friend like the Kingdom.
ADB, donors commit $5b for development, Pakistan among key beneficiaries g
REPLENISHED FUNDS TO SUPPORT CLIMATE INITIATIVES AND DEVELOPMENT IN ASIA-PACIFIC'S MOST DISADVANTAGED STATES PROFIT
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The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and various donors have committed $5 billion to replenish ADB’s Asian Development Fund (ADF) 14 and the Technical Assistance Special Fund (TASF) 8, with Pakistan listed as a beneficiary. This decision was announced during ADB’s 57th annual meeting in Tbilisi, Georgia. ADF 14, which represents the 13th replenishment since its inception, will fund grant operations from 2025 to 2028. This cycle will see a 22% increase in funding compared to the previous cycle, offering the largest-ever volume of ADF grants. Additionally, TASF 8 will support project preparation, capacity building, and technical or policy advice. ADB President Masatsugu Asakawa highlighted the importance of these grants in aiding the most vulnerable member countries to address development challenges and climate change. ADF 14 will focus on aiding small island developing states and countries affected by conflicts, emphasising climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction. The fund will also support regional cooperation, gender-focused initiatives, and provide emergency assistance through its crisis response window. Contributions totaling more than $2.5 billion, which accounts for over half of the replenishment, will come from donors, including newcomers Armenia and Georgia. ADB plans to increase its net income transfers to ADF, from nearly $1.2 billion in the previous cycle to almost $1.6 billion in ADF 14, marking a 35% rise. The fund will also utilise $0.9 billion from previous ADF cycles and returns from liquidity investments. Concurrently, ADB will offer $16.7 billion in concessional loans with low-interest rates and extended repayment periods during the ADF 14 cycle. This strategy will enable ADB to provide more than $8 in grants and loans for every $1 in donor contributions. Donors to ADF 14 include Armenia, Australia, Austria, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Hong Kong, China, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, People’s Republic of China, Philippines, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taipei, China, Turkiye, United Kingdom, and the United States. Primary grant recipients include Micronesia, Kiribati, Kyrgyz Republic, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tajikistan, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu. Additional support will be available for Afghanistan, Myanmar, and transformative projects in several other developing countries including Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Laos, Mongolia, Nepal, Niue, Pakistan, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Sri Lanka, Timor-Leste, and Uzbekistan.
IHC bins IB plea for withdrawal of objections to bench hearing audio leaks case ISLAMABAD
STAFF REPORT
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday dismissed a plea by the Intelligence Bureau (IB) seeking withdrawal of its petition seeking the recusal of Justice Babar Sattar from the hearing audio leaks case. On April 27, a petition was filed by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra), the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), and the Intelligence Bureau (IB), contending that another IHC bench had already issued a verdict in a similar case. During today’s hearing, Assistant Attor-
ney General (AAG) Munawar Iqbal Dogal informed the court that the IB wanted to withdraw its plea objecting to the formation of the bench. However, Justice Sattar said the IB’s petition was already dismissed during the last hearing. “When the order comes, you will receive it.” The court mentioned that in the order, the IB director general had been put on notice and asked why contempt of court proceedings should not be initiated against him and who gave him the authority to file the petition. At previous hearing on Monday, Justice Sattar had imposed a fine of Rs500,000 each on the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), Pakistan Telecommunication Authority
(PTA) and Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra), which sought his recusal from the audio leaks case. The judge had disposed of the pleas of the three federal institutions. “The IB Director general (DG) has been put on notice, why not initiate contempt of court proceedings against him,” the court added. The order further raised a question regarding the authorization for filing the petition. Justice Sattar told the AAG that IB’s written response can be submitted once a written order is issued. The court then also dismissed the IB’s separate application seeking withdrawal of the objection plea. Later, the court dismissed the miscellaneous petition filed by the Intelligence Bureau.