ISLAMABAD: Namira Salim, who became the first Pakistani woman astronaut to travel into space last year, on Saturday expressed regret for not receiving any official recognition for the journey, saying it was a “larger than life accomplishment” and didn’t come without a “serious risk” to her life.
Salim traveled into space in October last year aboard Virgin Galactic’s fifth successful flight, according to the US company. The adventurer, who previously traveled to both North and South poles and has also parachuted over Mount Everest, was among the first customers to buy a ticket with billionaire Richard Branson’s space company after it was founded almost two decades ago.
Salim said she invested her own resources in her spaceflight ticket, which cost her $200,000 in 2006. For her space mission, she said she had traveled to the US and Europe from 2006 to 2023 and attended all milestone events in the process during which they built a fleet of motherships and spaceships.
While Pakistani sports and entertainment industry figures have been conferred with civilian awards at special investiture ceremonies in recent years, no ceremony has been organized to highlight Salim’s challenging, high-risk and self-funded space flight, in which she passionately invested 18 years of her time and resources.
“I must confess with a very heavy heart that my previous civil award nomination in early 2023 before my space flight for services renderred to Pakistan’s space sector and SUPARCO [Pakistan’s Space & Upper Atmosphere Research Commission] was sadly blocked by the concerned individual at the Ministry of Science and Technology despite the highest recommendations and support,” she said in a statement.
“Therefore, my civil award nomination was not approved due to this bureaucratic hurdle. My civil award application was obviously merit based.”
Salim said Pakistan’s space sector needed to be more highlighted and promoted.
She appreciated that on the recommendation of former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, President Asif Ali Zardari had conferred her with the Tamgha-e-Imtiaz civilian award in 2011 for her polar expeditions as first Pakistani at the North Pole in 2007 and at the South Pole in 2008 and for her skydive over Mount Everest during the historic First Everest Skydive 2008.
Salim said she merited official recognition for being the first Pakistani astronaut and for her tireless efforts in glorifying the name of Pakistan globally.
First Pakistani woman astronaut seeks official recognition for her space journey
https://arab.news/msxwx
First Pakistani woman astronaut seeks official recognition for her space journey
- Namira Salim traveled into space in October last year aboard Virgin Galactic’s fifth successful flight
- She previously traveled to both North and South poles and has also parachuted over Mount Everest
Daesh media chief for ISKP in Pakistan’s custody — state media
- Sultan Aziz Azzam, a senior member of ISKP, used to head its Al Azzam media outlet, says state media
- Azzam was arrested in May while attempting to cross into Pakistan from Afghanistan, says state media
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani authorities have taken into custody Sultan Aziz Azzam, the head of Daesh regional affiliate ISKP’s media outlet, state media reported on Thursday citing intelligence sources.
The state-run Pakistan TV Digital reported that Azzam was a senior member of ISKP and hailed from Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province. As per the state media report, he is also a graduate of the University of Nangarhar where he studied Islamic jurisprudence.
Pakistan TV Digital reported Azzam joined ISKP in 2016 and later became a prominent member of its leadership council.
“He was arrested in May 2025 while attempting to cross from Afghanistan into Pakistan,” Pakistan TV Digital reported, citing intelligence sources.
“He is believed to have overseen media operations and headed ISKP’s Al Azzam media outlet.”
In November 2021, Washington listed Azzam as a “Specially Designated Global Terrorist” (SDGT). The move bars American citizens from engaging in transactions with persons designated as SDGTs.
According to a report on the UN Security Council’s website, Azzam has played an “instrumental role” in spreading Daesh’s violent ideology, glorifying and justifying “terrorist acts.”
“Building on his former experience as an Afghan journalist, his activity as ISIL-K’s spokesperson has increased ISIL-K’s visibility and influence among its followers,” the report states.
The report further states Azzam claimed responsibility on behalf of Daesh for the suicide attack near Hamid Karzai International Airport on Aug. 26, 2021, which killed at least 170 Afghans and 13 US service members and injured 150 more.
The development takes place amid tense relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan, with Islamabad alleging militants use Afghan soil to carry out attacks against Pakistan. Kabul denies the allegations.
Tensions surged in October when Pakistan and Afghanistan engaged in fierce border clashes, claiming to have killed dozens of soldiers of the other side.
Pakistan has urged the Afghan Taliban-led government to take “decisive action” against militants it says operate from its soil. Afghanistan says it cannot be held responsible for Pakistan’s security challenges.
