The China-backed launches mark a significant expansion of Pakistan's Earth-observation capabilities at a time when space-based surveillance is becoming increasingly important for national security and strategic planning. Pakistan expands satellite surveillance network with six launches in 16 months In a notable shift for its space programme, Pakistan launched six Earth-observation (EO) satellites between January 2025 and April 2026, enhancing its ability to monitor developments on the ground through space-based imaging and surveillance.The launches began before the Pahalgam terror attack and India's subsequent military response, indicating that the effort was part of a longer-term strategy rather than a reaction to recent…