ISLAMABAD, Oct 11: A total of 199 mountaineers from 40 expeditions including two couples from Italy and Japan, set foot on eight of the most sought-after peaks in the Northern Areas of Pakistan in the just concluded season, according to a compilation available here on Wednesday.

The Italian and Japanese couples were among those who made it to the top of K-2, at 8,611 metres the world’s second-highest mountain peak after the 8,848 metres high Mount Everest situated in Nepal.

Besides an husband and wife form Italy, a Japanese couple earned distinction by reaching the peaks of K-2. They were Ms Komatsu Yuka ,23, and Mr Aoki Tatsuya, 21, the youngest summiteers at K-2.

A total of 91 applications were received in 2006 for grant of permission to climb various peaks in Pakistan, out of which 78 applicants were accepted.

It was the Golden Jubilee Year of the First Ascent of 8,035- metres high Gasherbrum-II which was climbed for the first time 50 years back on July 8, 1956 by Austrian climbers Fritz Moravec, Josef Larch and Hars willenpart.—APP