Islamabad, Pakistan - Feb 8, 2023 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
1. Various of Celebration of the Return of Pakistani Seeds from Chinese Space Station in progress
2. Various of officials holding seed samples, having photos taken
3. Officials holding certificates, having photos taken
4. Seed samples
5. Various of officials holding books, models, certificates, having photos taken
6. Attendees
7. Promotional video of space seed breeding project

A celebration ceremony for the successful return of Pakistani plant seeds from the Chinese Tiangong space station was held in Islamabad on Wednesday, which will provide a strong impetus for Pakistan's research on more environmentally tolerant seeds.

China helped Pakistan take seven key medicinal plant seeds to the in-orbit Tiangong station for space breeding by exposing them to cosmic radiation and microgravity to mutate their genes, and in this regard an event was held to mark the successful six-month project.

The seeds were launched into space with the Shenzhou-14 spaceship on June 5 last year, and returned to earth with the same mission crew on Dec. 4.

Pakistani scientists planned to plant these seeds and ordinary seeds at the same time to conduct comparative researches on genes, components, and growth characteristics.

On the sidelines of "Celebration of the Return of Pakistani Seeds from Chinese Space Station", Pakistani Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal said that the space breeding project is conducive to helping Pakistan develop plant seeds that are more adaptable to climate change.

Pang Chunxue, charge d'affaires of the Chinese Embassy to Pakistan, said the experiment will surely be recorded in the history of China-Pakistan friendship as a landmark of the science and technology cooperation of both countries, and China is willing to solidly promote cooperation with Pakistan in various fields including agriculture, science and technology, and people's livelihood.