Islamabad: Pakistani mountaineers Naila Kiani and Samina Baig made history as they became the first women from the country to successfully summit Nanga Parbat, the country’s second-highest and the world’s ninth-highest peak.
Nanga Parbat, which stands at 8,126 meters (26,660 feet), is also called the “Killer Mountain” because of its notoriously difficult climb and astonishingly high death rate.
‘Historic achievement’
July 2, 2023, was a historic day and a proud moment for the Pakistani mountaineering community. On this day, Naila Kiani carved her name in the records as the first Pakistani woman to conquer Nanga Parbat. She summited the majestic mountain at around 10:18 am PST on July 2, according to Karrar Haidri, the general secretary of the Alpine Club of Pakistan. Kiani was closely followed by renowned climber Samina Baig, who summited Nanga Parbat at 11:08 am PST, just one hour after Naila’s summit. “This is a significant milestone for female climbers in Pakistan. Naila and Samina have made Pakistanis proud and inspired countless others” to pursue their own dreams of conquering the world’s tallest peaks”, Haidri said.
In a statement on Sunday afternoon, Kiani expressed her fear and determination during the mission due to the number of lives lost during this summit. “It brings me immense joy to have once again brought global pride to my beloved country. All of my accomplishments are dedicated to my beautiful land, and its people”. She thanked her sponsor, the Bilquis and Abdul Razak Dawood (BARD) Foundation, saying they “consistently went above and beyond to support me on this journey.”
The people at the foundation, which encourages local athletes, received the news with immense joy. “Amidst the limited opportunities available for women in such sports, Naila stands out as a resilient soul who keeps fighting relentlessly to pursue her passion,” said Mehreen Dawood, the managing director of BARD Foundation. She said that Naila continues to inspire the people at the organisation “to keep working towards our mission of creating a Pakistan abundant with opportunities for talented individuals.”
Who is Naila Kiani?
The Dubai-based Pakistani climber Naila Kiani is also the “first Pakistani woman to summit the world’s seven highest peaks in the world” according to a statement from the expedition sponsor. She has now climbed Mount Everest, the world’s highest mountain at 8,849 meters, Mount Lhotse, the world’s fourth tallest peak, Gasherbrum-II (8,035m) in 2021, Gasherbrum-I (8,080m) and K2 (8,611m) in July 2022 and Annapurna I (8,091m) in 2023.
Kiani, the mother of two, has deep gratitude towards her husband and family for their unwavering support, which she says allows her to pursue her passion for climbing. “For anyone who loves adventure and exploration, there are always sacrifices to be made. For me, the biggest sacrifice is leaving my family behind and the toughest part is the heartache of saying goodbye to loved ones” before beginning the summit, she earlier said. “But I know they stand behind me because they believe in my dreams.”
Naila Kiani is an adventure enthusiast and also an amateur boxer. In 2018, her deep love for mountains inspired her to have a small wedding celebration at the K2 base camp, earning her the nickname of the ‘K2 Bride’.
Who is Samina Baig?
Samina Baig made history in 2013 by becoming the first Pakistani woman to conquer Mount Everest at the age of 21. The mountaineer from the Shimshal valley of Hunza is also the youngest Muslim woman to climb Everest and the seven highest peaks on seven continents. In July 2022, Samina Baig cemented her mountaineering legacy by becoming the first Pakistani woman to climb K2, the world’s second-highest peak. Baig’s recent remarkable summit of the Nanga Parbat “serves as a beacon of hope, urging us all to set our sights high and climb our own mountains of achievement” reads her Facebook page.
Samina Baig was part of the summit organised by Karakorum Expeditions, which included nine Pakistani climbers and one climber from Switzerland. The team comprised Samina Baig, Rizwan Dad, Wajid Nagri, and seven other members who undertook the challenging ascent without the assistance of supplementary oxygen. These climbers were Eid Muhammad, Ahmed Baig, Waqar Ali, Saeed Karim, Liaqat Karim, Shah Daulat, and Suzanne.
