Islamabad: Mountaineer Abdul Jabbar Bhatti became the fourth Pakistani to summit the world’s highest peak, Mount Everest, on Sunday.
His family and friends have been relieved after learning that Bhatti is safe after he encountered difficulty in climbing down. Bhatti’s climbing partner, Saad Mohammad, informed them that “Bhatti has been rescued above Camp 4 and is now out of danger.”
It took Bhatti one and half months to complete the dream expedition. Bhatti partially financed his Rs5million trip with help from a private donor.
Bhatti is an accomplished Pakistani mountaineer who has successfully summited Broad Peak (8,051 metres high) in 1985; Gasherbrum 2 (8,035m) in 1986 and Spantik Peak (7,027m) in 2012.
Bhatti is a retired lieutenant colonel of Pakistan Army and a recipient of the Pakistan’s top awards including, President’s Pride of Performance award and the Tamgha-i-Basalat (Medal of Good Conduct). Dr. Bhatti is also the patron of ‘The Adventure Club — Pakistan’ — an organisation which promotes adventure activities in Pakistan, especially among youth.
Mount Everest, which stands at a foreboding 8,848 metres (or 29,029 feet) high above sea level, is a dream destination for climbers around the world.
Abdul Jabbar Bhatti is being hailed by Pakistani climbers as the first one from outside the region of Gilgit-Baltistan to achieve this landmark. The other three Pakistanis who have scaled Mount Everest are from the mountainous Gilgit-Baltistan region — home to some of the world’s tallest mountains.
Nazir Sabir became the first Pakistani to climb Mount Everest in 2000. The second Pakistani who accomplished this feat was Hassan Sadapara who climbed the world’s highest peak in 2011. Renowned mountaineer Hassan Sadpara, who passed away in 2016, was the only Pakistani to have climbed six of the world’s tallest mountains including Mt Everest (8848m), K2 (8611m), Gasherbrum I (8080m), Gasherbrum II (8035m), Nanga Parbat (8126m) and Broad Peak (8051m). Samina Baig is the first Pakistani woman to scale Mount Everest in 2013.
Abdul Jabbar’s successful ascent comes at a crucial time as this has been a tragic weekend on the world’s highest mountain, Mount Everest. At least four climbers — one from Alabama, one from Slovakia, another from Australia and fourth one from India — died on Mount Everest.
At least five climbers have died on Everest during the current spring climbing season, which began in March.
