Feature: Pakistani students learn about space sciences in live conversation with Chinese astronauts

ISLAMABAD - Nida Fatima, a 7th-grade Pakistani student, has been studying space and the life of astronauts in spaceship ever since she was told about China's Tiangong space station and the advanced space science technology by her teacher last month.

A student of the Educators Islamabad school, Fatima told Xinhua that she had little knowledge about space. Still, her interest was enhanced when her teacher told her that China has not only made its mark in space technology but is also ready to share its knowledge with other countries like Pakistan.

The 13-year-old and students from different schools in Pakistan as well as other member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) got a chance to interact with Chinese astronauts in space through virtual mode in an event held at the Chinese Embassy in Islamabad on Thursday.

"It also motivated me to dream about being an astronaut. A Chinese astronaut explained his lifestyle in the spaceship and about the Chinese space station in a very detailed way. I will study more about China's space program and make a career in space sciences," Fatima said.

The students hailed the astronaut with warm applause as he appeared on the screen, and some of them slightly jumped from their seats in excitement as it was the first experience for every one of them to talk to and listen to an astronaut in space.

President of the Pakistan Science Foundation Shahid Mahmood Baig told Xinhua that in Pakistan, almost all students study medical sciences or some fields of engineering, but there is almost no other preference for them in other fields of science because of a lack of awareness.

"The objective of today's ceremony was to inspire and motivate the Pakistani students toward science, especially space science, because this is a very special science and very few students go into this discipline in Pakistan," he added.

Baig said Pakistan has good cooperation with China in the field of science, and they have been doing a number of joint projects for the past years. They also seek cooperation from China to help Pakistani students gain more knowledge about space sciences.

"Young students had a wonderful experience today, and now they are more inclined to study space science and other cutting-edge scientific disciplines in the future, and we will need China's support to help our students achieve their dream of studying space sciences by letting them study in China," he added.

Alizay, a 7th grader from a state-run school in Islamabad, got a chance to ask a question from the Chinese astronaut and was overwhelmed when he talked to her straight from the Chinese space station.

"I asked the astronaut how they breathe in space, and he answered my query in a very detailed way ... it was very memorable that I could talk to him," she told Xinhua.