Pakistan to send astronaut to China’s space station aboard Shenzhou-24 mission

A Pakistani astronaut will join the crew of China's Shenzhou-24 spacecraft this year, becoming the first foreign national to visit Beijing's space station, Chinese state media reported on Saturday.The astronaut will undertake a short-term stay in orbit before returning to Earth aboard the Shenzhou-23 spacecraft, according to the China Manned Space Agency.The agency has not announced the launch date or identified the astronaut.The mission will mark the first joint spaceflight involving Chinese and foreign astronauts in the history of China's manned space programme, news agency Xinhua reported.The Pakistani astronaut will participate as a payload specialist, according to Chinese broadcaster CCTV.Two Pakistani candidates underwent training in ChinaEarlier this year, two Pakistani candidates, Muhammad Zeeshan Ali and Khurram Daud, had begun training alongside their Chinese counterparts.