KARACHI, Sept 14: Pakistan’s space satellite — Paksat — will become operational in April, while the country’s space launch vehicle will be ready in four to five years.

“This advancement in space technology will be extremely significant from the defence point of view,” director policy planning and development, Defence Export Promotion Organization (DEPO), Air Commodore Mansoor Malik, said at a news briefing here on Saturday.

A demonstration of the main battle tanks — Al-Khalid, Al- Zarrar —, APCs and UAVs was also witnessed by newsmen at the Expo Centre.

Commodore Malik said Pakistan’s main battle tank Al-Khalid, having two versions of engine — one each from China and Ukraine, both of which have been approved after necessary stringent trials — were now in use of the Pakistan Army.

He said negotiations were underway with some countries who had shown interest to purchase the AL-Khalid tank. Similarly, he said, the highly powerful light and medium tank Al-Zarrar, which had been completely modified by Pakistan from the original T-55 Chinese tank was also in use by the Army. “We are also in talks with some other countries who have expressed desire to buy it,” he stated.

Air Commodore Malik said Mushshak trainer aircraft built at the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex, Kamra, had been exported to Oman, Iran and Syria. Contracts are to be signed with some other countries for exporting these aircraft.

He also spoke of the complete overhaul and modification in various versions of the fighter aircraft - Mirage - being carried out by scientists and engineers at the PAC for the past several years.—PPI