Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal has announced a detailed six-point roadmap to integrate China’s BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) into Pakistan’s economic and technological development. Speaking at the BeiDou Summit in Zhuzhou, Hunan province, he highlighted its potential to transform trade, logistics, agriculture, aviation, and disaster management.
Iqbal emphasised that Pakistan was the first foreign nation to adopt BeiDou, which is already in use across multiple sectors. He said deeper integration would open new employment opportunities, enhance the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), and promote global cooperation in space technology.
The roadmap includes linking BeiDou with Pakistan’s SBAS and Pak-GBAS systems, expanding GBAS coverage nationwide, and establishing a National Centre for GIS and Satellite Technology as a regional hub for research and innovation. He also called for drafting a national Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) policy, encouraging public-private partnerships with China, and strengthening joint research, training, and talent development.
According to Iqbal, collaboration with Chinese experts will prepare the next generation of Pakistani scientists, positioning them at the forefront of the country’s long-term growth. He added that BeiDou’s integration could inject “new vitality” into digital trade, port operations, aviation, and maritime safety.
Highlighting CPEC’s evolution, he noted it was “no longer just about roads and bridges” but had become a technology corridor linked with space applications. This cooperation, he said, aligns with Pakistan’s commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the “Uraan Pakistan” initiative, designed to equip youth with modern digital skills.
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