The Centre for Aerospace & Security Studies held a Tech Talk on 21 January 2026 on Space and Pakistan’s Future, mobilising the youth and fostering innovation to explore how young talent can drive the national space ecosystem.
In opening remarks, Air Marshal (Retd) Javaid Ahmed, President CASS, said space is a strategic research priority with major developmental potential. He outlined CASS’s consultative contributions to Pakistan’s Space Policy and noted that awareness of space studies remains limited in much of academia, often confined to physics departments while other disciplines remain underexplored.
Mr Muhammad Iftekhar Yezdani, Chief Executive Officer of Raheqamar, delivered the main talk and argued that Pakistan’s demographic profile—nearly 64 per cent of the population under 30—offers a powerful foundation for a vibrant space sector. He called for a deliberate focus on youth engagement to translate demographic advantage into technological and entrepreneurial gains.
Mr Yezdani proposed a four-pillar approach to build momentum: cultivate interest through engaging science communication, educate by integrating real-time satellite data into curricula, activate talent with national space challenges and CubeSat programmes, and amplify outcomes via incubators and digital communities. He urged support for local science content creators and the use of short-form video, immersive platforms, storytelling and gamification to make space science culturally relevant and accessible.
The speaker emphasised that Pakistan’s next major advances in space will be driven not by a single breakthrough but by the collective imagination, skills and creativity of its youth. He highlighted practical steps such as strengthening incubators, launching national challenges and using online platforms to build sustained communities around space learning.
In concluding remarks, the president of CASS appreciated the emphasis on a bottom-up approach and reiterated the need for sustained policy focus and institutional support. He noted Pakistan’s entry into the space domain is commendable and singled out the National Aerospace Science & Technology Park as a positive initiative to bolster the national technological ecosystem.
