Around 1,400 international mountaineers to conquer Pakistan’s highest peak

GILGIT: Around 1,400 mountaineers from around the world are expected to climb some of the world’s highest peaks located in Gilgit-Baltistan this year.

According to Dawn, the Gilgit-Baltistan tourism department had already issued 700 permits to international climbers, and as many were expected to be issued this summer.

The climbers are expected to be coming from Europe, the United States, the United Arab Emirates, China, Russia, Poland, Japan and Norway .

Pakistan boasts five of the world’s 14 eight-thousanders, inclu­ding the world’s second-highest peak K2 (8,611 metres), followed by Nanga Parbat (ranked ninth at 8,126 metres), Gasher­brum-I (11th at 8,080 metres), Broad Peak (12th at 8,051 metres), and Gasher­brum-II (13th at 8,035m).

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Moreover, 40 Pakistani mountaineers are also in the race, including Sajid Ali Sadpara, Sir­baz Khan, Abdul Joshi, She­roze Kashif, Samina Baig and Naila Kiani. As many as 3,000 local porters have been hired by several expedition teams to carry the supplies.

In this regard, Alpine Club of Pakistan Secre­tary Karrar Haidri said many international expedition team members from various countries had already arrived in Pakistan.

He said that a record number of more than 400 climbers would attempt to scale K2, the second-highest  and also the most challenging   peak in the world.