GILGIT: Bibi Sultana Nasab from Shimshal Valley, Hunza, has successfully scaled K2, standing at 8,611 meters, becoming the third Pakistani woman to conquer the world’s second-highest mountain.
She reached the summit on Monday morning, accompanied by ace climber Sirbaz Khan. A total of 35 mountaineers summited K2 on Monday, including Abdul Joshi and Faryad Karim from Shimshal, Hunza; Sherzad Karim and Ejaz Karim from Aliabad, Hunza; Ali Muhammad Sadpara, Muhammad Ali Sadpara, and Muhammad Younus from Skardu.
International climbers who summited included Paula Birgitta Strengell from Finland, Yuri Kruglov from Russia, Mahmoud Hashemisougheh, Farnaz Dyanatmoghadam, and Saeid Mirzaei from Iran, Alessandra Kate Pepper from Australia, Garrett Christian Madison, Kimberly Siloway, Fleischman Mathew, Lieber Benjamin Edward, and Rebecca Long from the USA, Katharina Anna Ott from Germany, Stephane Millete Mayer from Canada, Tinn Ott from Estonia, and Javier Claudio Beiza from Argentina. Saeid Mirzaei from Iran ascended without supplemental oxygen.
Climbers from Nepal who summited included Chhepal Sherpa, Dawa Sherpa, Mingtemba Sherpa, Chhiring Bhote, Tenzi Sherpa, Mingdorchi Sherpa, Dawa Sherpa, Tenji Dawa Sherpa, and Dorchi Sherpa.
Sultana’s ascent was part of Pakistan’s first all-woman expedition team led by Sirbaz Khan. Khan, the first Pakistani to summit 13 eight-thousanders globally and 11 eight-thousanders without supplemental oxygen, has now summited K2 for the third time.
The expedition team included Anum Uzair from Lahore, Shama Baqir from Shimshal, Afzoom from Gulmit, and sisters Siddiqa Hanif and Amina Hanif from Ghanche. Anum Uzair summited Broad Peak (8,051 meters), the world’s 12th highest mountain, on Saturday. The rest of the team did not push for the K2 summit.
In a parallel mission, a team of climbers is conducting an unprecedented rescue operation on K2’s bottleneck at 8,200 meters to retrieve the body of Mohammad Hassan Shigri, who died there last year. “As far as known, a rescue mission from this height on K2 has never been attempted before,” renowned mountaineer Naila Kiani posted on social media.
The team has managed to dig the body out of the snow and is preparing to descend to Camp 3 from Camp 4. Naila Kiani has called for prayers for the team’s safety and success, emphasizing the importance of advancing mountaineering education and safety.
The rescue team consists of Dilawar Sadpara, Akbar Hussein Sadpara, Zakir Hussein Sadpara, Mohammed Murad Sadpara, and Ali Mohammed Sadpara.
Due to lack of funds, Kiani has appealed for support from corporates or individuals to cover the climbers’ salaries and logistics.
She mentioned the need for FCNA’s support with a helicopter for evacuation if the mission succeeds, to minimize risks and take advantage of the current weather window.
“No matter what happens, we need to be proud of this team for undertaking such a risky mission,” Kiani emphasized.
