Islamabad: Following an improvement in bad weather conditions, 28 climbers, including 15 Pakistani mountaineers, successfully summited Broad Peak, the world’s 12th-highest mountain at 8,051 meters above sea level, on Saturday, as reported by tour operators.
Climbers faced nearly two months of high-speed winds, snowfall, clouds, and unpredictable weather, limiting their progress to acclimatization and rotations. The weather cleared on Friday, enabling the climbers to commence their summit push.
According to Karakorum Expeditions, a five-member team of rope fixers from Shimshal Valley in Hunza was the first to reach the summit at 7:15 am. The team included Ahmed Baig, Arshad Karim, Rizwan Dad, Waqar Ali, and Daulat Muhammad.
“We are excited to announce that Team Karakorum Expeditions has successfully summited Broad Peak and fixed ropes all the way to the summit this morning! Braving waist-deep snow, our team worked tirelessly through challenging conditions all night long,” stated Karakorum Expeditions in a social media post. This achievement marks the first time in Pakistan’s history that a local team has solely fixed ropes and routes from the base to the summit of an 8000+ meter peak, a task previously handled by Nepali Sherpas.
Five minutes after the rope-fixing team, Sanu Sherpa from Nepal and Zulfiqar Ali from Hushe Valley in Gilgit-Baltistan reached the summit. Another four-member team from Karakorum Expeditions, including Zaman Karim and Afreen Shah from Shimshal Valley, Murad Ali from Balochistan, and Iya Pershina from Russia, also summited.
A five-member team of Pakistani climbers reached the summit at 11:30 am. Pakistani-American Aamir Butt, Anum Uzair from Lahore, and Akber Ali and Muhammad Ali Aman from Hushe were confirmed by Summit Karakoram, an Adventure Tour Company. This marked the second 8000-meter peak for Anum Uzair, who previously scaled Manaslu with her husband, making them the first couple to achieve an 8000-meter peak together.
Additionally, Lars Lammler from Switzerland, Hossein Natteghi from Iran, and Angel Ezequiel Armesto from Argentina summited the peak on Saturday.
Muhammad Ali, owner of Mashabrum Expeditions Treks & Tours, also confirmed that his three international clients, including Mathew David Holt from the United Kingdom, and Aang Phurba Sherpa and Temba Sherpa, have summited the peak.
Other climbers reaching the summit included Pasang Namgel Sherpa from Nepal, Abid Baig from Hunza Valley, Gian Luca from Italy, Cesar Rosales from Peru, Tomasz Kitta from Canada, and Gabriel Florari from Romania.
