By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: Two Pakistani mountaineers, Sirbaz Khan and Abig Baig, have successfully summited Tirich Mir, the highest peak in the Hindu Kush mountain range, standing at 7,708 meters in northwestern Pakistan, state-run media reported on Sunday.
The expedition, organised by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) provincial government, saw a seven-member team attempt to conquer the formidable peak located in Chitral district. While Khan and Baig reached the summit, the remaining five climbers—KP Director of Tourism Authority Umar Khan, Dr. Naveed Iqbal, Major Muhammad Atif, Shams-ul-Qamar, and Akmal Naveed—were forced to halt their ascent at 7,300 meters due to severe weather conditions, according to the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP).
“According to Director of the Tourism Authority, Umar Khan, mountaineers Sirbaz Khan and Abid Baig, who hail from Gilgit-Baltistan, successfully climbed the peak.”
KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur hailed the achievement, congratulating the climbers for their success in scaling Tirich Mir. The provincial government has designated 2025–26 as the “Year of Tirich Mir,” underscoring its commitment to promoting adventure tourism in the region, the report noted.
Reflecting on his accomplishment, Sirbaz Khan expressed gratitude to the provincial authorities for their support. “My dream of summiting Tirich Mir was made possible thanks to the support of the provincial government,” Khan said.
Khan also highlighted the untapped potential of the region, noting that several other peaks near Tirich Mir could attract adventure tourists in the future. Pakistan’s northern areas, particularly Gilgit-Baltistan, are renowned for their towering peaks, including some of the world’s highest, drawing thousands of tourists and foreign climbers annually for mountaineering, paragliding, and other outdoor activities.
In a separate milestone, a five-member team from Shimshal Valley in Gilgit-Baltistan summited Tirich Mir on August 1 via a new and technically challenging route, marking the first time a Pakistani team has reached the peak through this path. The expedition was led by renowned mountaineer Abdul Joshi, widely known as “The Pathfinder,” as part of his Summit for Climate Change Campaign, which seeks to raise global awareness about the environmental impacts of climate change in high-altitude regions.
The Shimshal team included Joshi, Hameedullah, Faryad Karim, Mansoor Karim, and Nisar Ahmed. Their ascent represents a historic achievement for Pakistani mountaineering, showcasing the country’s growing expertise in navigating complex alpine terrain.
Pakistan’s northern region, particularly Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral, is home to some of the world’s tallest peaks, attracting thousands of tourists and foreign climbers annually for mountaineering, paragliding, and other adventure sports. The successful summit adds to Pakistan’s growing reputation as a hub for mountaineering talent. In recent years, the country has produced several professional climbers, both men and women, who have scaled some of the world’s most challenging peaks.
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