24 April 2005	Sunday	14 Rabi-ul-Awwal 1426

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SKARDU, April 23: Thirty-five expedition teams have so far confirmed their arrival in the Northern Areas this summer, tourism ministry sources told Dawn here on Thursday. The sources said that 35 expedition teams will try to conquer various peaks including K2, the second highest peak of the world. Nanga Parbat (8125m), Gashabrum-I (8068m), Gashabrum-II (8035m), Broad Peak (8047m) and various other famous peaks in the Karakoram and Himalayan mountain ranges.

The sources further said the season’s first expedition team ‘Pakistan-China/Tibet expedition’ are reaching in the Northern Areas in the first week of May.

The 12-member team would try to scale 8,068m high Gashabrum-I Peak in the Karakorum.

It added that the number of visiting expedition groups are expected to increase as the ministry is still receiving applications from various foreign team to visit Pakistan.

The Northern Areas are considered to be tourists and mountaineers’ heaven on earth. The world’s three great mountain ranges — Karakorum, Himalaya and the Hindukush — meet here. Five out of the world’s 14 peaks above 8,000-meter high are located in the Northern Areas. In addition to this, hundreds of other beautiful peaks are also situated here.