Islamabad (TDI): Pakistan’s first all‑women mountaineering expedition has successfully scaled the summit of Bari La Peak in Gilgit‑Baltistan. The peak is 5,400 meters high.
The expedition was organized by the Alpine Club of Pakistan as part of its Golden Jubilee celebrations. The ten‑member team had representation from all four provinces as well as Gilgit‑Baltistan and Islamabad.
It was led by veteran climber Bibi Afzoon. Others on the team were: Mona Khan, Amina Shabbir, and Shahreen Khan from Islamabad, Maria Bangash from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Zeba Batool from Gilgit‑Baltistan, Bisma Hassan and Iqra Jillani from Punjab, Laraib Batool from Balochistan, and Madeeha Syed from Sindh.
The members were trained at Sadpara Mountaineering Training School and later at Deosai Top before starting their summit, which the completed on September 10, guided by renowned male mountaineers Sajid Sadpara, Ashraf Sadpara, Fida Shigri, and Sharif Sadpara.
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Alpine Club said that the Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, has also congratulated the climbers, inviting them to the Prime Minister’s House to formally recognize this achievement. For six members of the team, it was the first time to scale a mountain peak.
Naila Kiani, Pakistan’s most celebrated female mountaineer, called it “a heartwarming moment,” adding: “I am proud to see new girls turning to mountaineering, especially the younger generation. These climbers deserve proper support and backing so they can scale even higher peaks in the future.”
Alpine Club’s Vice President Karrar Haidri said the expedition proves “Pakistan’s daughters can rise to any peak,” and pledged further initiatives to encourage women’s participation in adventure sports.
“With equal representation from all four provinces, GB and AJK, these courageous women came together not just to climb, but to break barriers,” he said.
In June, two separate all women expeditions were announced by Force Command of Northern Areas (FCNA) and Imagine Climb, to scale the highest and mightiest K2.
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