Samina Baig, others begin journey for K2 expedition

Published June 19, 2021
Samina Baig and Mirza Ali Baig pose with the Pakistani flag at Mount Everest. — Dawn/File
Samina Baig and Mirza Ali Baig pose with the Pakistani flag at Mount Everest. — Dawn/File

GILGIT: Two expedition teams including foreign climbers and renowned Pakistani mountaineer Samina Baig on Friday started their adventure to scale K2.

They started their trek to the K2 base camp from Shigar.

Talking to mediapersons in Shigar before starting the trek, Ms Baig, whose expedition has been sponsored by Special Communication Organisation (SCO), said she along with five local high altitude guides had started the expedition themed ‘K2 dream expedition 2021’.

She said they would spend two months at K2 to complete the mission, adding the objective of the summit was raising awareness about women empowerment and climate change, and provide opportunities to local climbers to scale high peaks.

Born in Gilgit-Baltistan, Samina Baig became the first Pakistani woman to climb Mount Everest (8,849), the world’s highest peak, at the age 21.

Ms Baig said K2 summit was her dream, and asked for prayers for the successful summit.

She will be first Pakistani if she is able to climb K2.

Remembering Ali Sadpara, she said: “He [Sadpara] was one of the most amazing climbers in Pakistan and a great human being,” she recalled.

Meanwhile, another Joint Pakistan-International Broad Peak and K2 Expedition also departed for the K2 base camp from Shigar.

Famous mountaineer Mirza Ali, who scaled Everest in 2019, and also the brother of Samina Baig, is leading both the expeditions.

Talking to Dawn, Mr Ali said the expedition consisted of 13 international climbers from UAE, Qatar, Spain, Austria, Greece, UK, USA and Finland, and 24 local mountaineers from Shimshal, Sadpara, Hushe and Arandu. He said the expedition is expected to complete its mission by August 8.

Published in Dawn, June 19th, 2021

Opinion

Editorial

Climate realities
Updated 13 Jun, 2025

Climate realities

Finance Minister says, "We are living climate change day in and day out”.
Minimum wages
Updated 13 Jun, 2025

Minimum wages

Foolish to expect toothless and corrupt provincial employees’ social security organisations to force wealthy employers to implement the minimum wage.
Iran attack fears
13 Jun, 2025

Iran attack fears

AS the fate of the US-Iran talks remains undecided, there are worrying signs that in case the negotiations collapse,...
Lack of direction
Updated 12 Jun, 2025

Lack of direction

Few believe that a govt desperate to grow the economy can actually pull it off, as the dynamism required is not visible.
Taxing e-commerce
12 Jun, 2025

Taxing e-commerce

FOR the first time, the government has the digital economy in its crosshairs. With a slew of new measures proposed ...
Kashmir mediation
12 Jun, 2025

Kashmir mediation

ONE of the noteworthy outcomes of last month’s limited clashes between Pakistan and India is that the Kashmir ...