Pakistan’s first-ever all-woman mountaineering expedition has summited Gilgit-Baltistan’s 5,400-metre Bari La peak, it emerged on Thursday.
The 10-member expedition comprised Bibi Afzon and Zeeba Batool from GB, Bismah Hasan and Iqra Jillani from Punjab, Madeeha Syed from Sindh, Mona Khan from Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Marya Bangash from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Shahreen Khan and Amina Shabbir from Islamabad and Laraib Batool from Balochistan.
According to a statement issued today by Alpine Club of Pakistan Vice President Karrar Haidri, history was “written in the high mountains of Pakistan”.
He said the first-ever all-woman expedition, organised and sponsored by the Alpine Club, successfully summited Bari La Peak on Wednesday.
“With equal representation from all four provinces, GB and AJK, these courageous women came together not just to climb, but to break barriers and prove that Pakistan’s daughters can rise to any peak,” Haidri said.
He added that before embarking on their journey, the expedition received training in basic climbing techniques at the Sadpara Mountaineering Training School under the guidance of renowned climbers Sajid Sadpara and Ashraf Sadpara.
Sajid, Arshaf, Fida Ali and Shareef Sadpara were mountain guides of the expedition.
“Their success is not merely a climb but a statement of resilience, determination and the immense potential of Pakistani women in adventure sports,” Haidri said.
Madeeha Syed, an award-winning documentary filmmaker who previously summited Mt Kilimanjaro (5,895m), told Dawn.com, “Most people just go to the lower summit. But the group, thanks to Sajid, made it to the true summit.
“Ayaz Shigri was leading the expedition and reached the lower summit (5,350m), but Sajid Sadpara set ropes to the summit for the rest of the team to make it to the true summit of Bari La (5,400m).”
However, Madeeha’s climb was cut short, as she experienced sickness and turned back at the 5,000-metre mark.
The expedition team members reached Skardu on Thursday.
For six members, this was the first time they summited a peak.
Meanwhile, Bibi Afzon, known as Zoni from Hunza, was in the K2 women’s expedition last year. Zeeba from Shigar is a rock-climbing instructor, and Bisma is a professional mountain and tour guide.
Mona is an Islamabad-based journalist.
“Life as a journalist has its own path, but being part of an expedition was a completely different experience,” she told Dawn.com. “For me, it was nothing short of a dream when I was selected by the Alpine Club to represent Kashmir in this mission.
“Prior to this, I had never climbed a peak above 5,000m, but up to 4,800 m,” she added. “I was excited but also nervous. Standing on the summit, I could hardly believe that I had crossed this challenging, rocky, and icy mountain.”
The Alpine Club added in their statement that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif congratulated the team on their achievement and invited them to the PM House in recognition of their courage and determination.
“In the years to come, the mighty mountains of Pakistan will echo with the footsteps of women who dare to dream,” Haidri stated.
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