India, Aug. 13 -- Pakistan has named its first lunar rover "Jinnah-1", drawing on the legacy of the country's founder as it prepares to send its first locally developed rover to the Moon.

Pakistan's space agency, Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO), announced the name of the rover on Thursday, marking a significant milestone in Pakistan's ambitions for space exploration and lunar science.

Jinnah-1 is scheduled to travel to the Moon in 2029 aboard China's Chang'e-8 mission. The rover will be deployed in the Moon's south polar region, where it is expected to carry out scientific investigations and test Pakistani-built technology on the lunar surface.

The name was selected through a nationwide public competition that ...