Mars, the Red Planet, is no longer just a subject of astronomical research; it now also holds a unique distinction due to the names of Pakistani cities and regions. The International Astronomical Union (IAU) has assigned names of small towns and villages from around the world to various geographical features on Mars. As a result, 11 locations from Pakistan have been included on Martian maps.
These include Chaman, Mastung, Gwash, and Khori from Balochistan, Hala and Indus Valley from Sindh, Jam‑Pur, Ravi Valley, and Jhelum Valley from Punjab, Khanpur from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Shardah from Azad Kashmir.
These names are used to identify craters, valleys, and other geological features on Mars — not to suggest that humans or settlements exist there. The initiative aims to make Martian mapping easier and support future research missions.
This step is also a source of pride, as it symbolically extends the identity of Pakistani locations into space and incorporates them into international astronomical research. Scientists note that such symbolic links between Earth and Mars help in exploration and study, offering a globally recognized system of Martian geography.
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