Pakistan has been elected as the Second Vice Chair and Rapporteur of the 67th Session of COPUOS, marking the first time the country will serve in the Bureau of COPUOS. Mr. Hasan Abbas, Second Secretary, will represent Pakistan in the role which facilitates the work of the Committee as well as preparing the outcome report of the Session.

               While delivering Pakistan’s national statement at the Committee, Chairman Space & Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO), Muhammad Yousuf Khan, welcomed the new Bureau and reiterated Pakistan’s belief that outer space remained the common heritage of all humankind. He underscored that it should be used for peaceful purposes and should remain accessible to all nations on non-discriminatory basis, irrespective of their level of scientific, technical or economic development. He added that outer space was a fragile resource that must be treated as global commons and therefore needed to be preserved and protected in a manner so as to ensure equity and access in its uses for all nations.

               The Chairman of Pakistan’s Space Agency further highlighted that Pakistan had approved its national space policy last year. He shared that the policy, while involving local stakeholders, was in line with the five UN space treaties as well as other relevant laws and standards to provide a framework for effectively harnessing space technologies and applications while fostering peaceful uses and contributing to sustainable use of outer space. He recounted Pakistan’s recent achievements in the country’s space endeavors including the iCUBE-Qamar satellite launch on 03 May 2024 and Pakistan Multi-Mission Communication Satellite, PakSat-MM1, on 30 May 2024 as well as shared details of plans to send a rover to the lunar south pole onboard China’s upcoming Chang’E-8 Mission to enhance the in-situ analysis and align with on-going research initiatives. The Chairman reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to contribute to lunar exploration and leveraging international partnerships to enhance its space exploration capabilities.

The Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) was established in 1959 by the UN General Assembly to govern the exploration and use of space for the benefit of all humanity: for peace, security and development. The 67^th Session of COPUOS has begun from 19 till 28 June 2024 at the United Nations Offices in Vienna (UNoV), Austria.

Pakistan maintains an active diplomatic profile in all Vienna based International Organizations. Currently, Pakistan is a member of the Industrial Development Board of UNIDO and was recently elected as Vice Chair in the Bureau of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ) at its 33rd session. Pakistan is also expected to join the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) later this year.

19 June 2024