Pakistan’s media on Thursday gave front-page coverage to the historic Chandrayaan landing on moon, despite the chill in bilateral ties; a former minister even hailed it as a “great moment” for the space organization. “India becomes first nation to land near Moon’s south pole” was the headline in most Pakistani newspapers and websites.
Former Pakistan Minister Lauds Chandrayaan-3 Success
The News International, the Dawn newspaper, the Business Recorder, Dunya News and others carried stories by various international news agencies about the landing. Fawad Chaudhry, who was federal minister for information and broadcasting in the government led by then Prime Minister Imran Khan, lauded the achievement.
“What a great moment for #ISRO as #Chandrayaan3 lands on the Moon, I can see lots of young scientists celebrating this moment with Mr Somanath, Chairman ISRO; only the younger generation with dreams can change the world. Good luck,” Chaudhry said on X, formerly known as twitter.
Chaudhry had earlier asked the Pakistani media to livestream the event.
Bilateral ties between India and Pakistan were severely strained after India bombed a Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist training camp in Balakot in Pakistan in February 2019 in response to the terror attack in Pulwama. Relations further deteriorated after India on August 5, 2019, announced the withdrawal of special powers of Jammu and Kashmir and the bifurcation of the state into two Union territories.
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