Shehroze Kashif sets world record as youngest climber to scale K2, Everest in same year

Published November 10, 2021
A file photo of Pakistani climber Shehroze Kashif. — Photo courtesy Shehroze Kashif Facebook/File
A file photo of Pakistani climber Shehroze Kashif. — Photo courtesy Shehroze Kashif Facebook/File

Guinness World Records has recognised Pakistan’s Shehroze Kashif as the world’s youngest climber to summit the world’s two tallest mountains — the 8,849-metre-high Everest and 8,611-metre-high K2 — in the same year, according to a press statement issued by the Alpine Club of Pakistan (ACP) on Wednesday.

The statement said that Kashif, who hails from Lahore, achieved the feat aged 19 years and 138 days. He also holds the record for being the youngest person to have climbed K2.

The 19-year-old became the youngest Pakistani to scale Everest — the world's highest peak — on May 6 this year and summitted K2 — the second highest mountain in the world — on July 27, climbing both the mountains within a span of nearly three months.

Read: A ‘sense of achievement’ for the youth who summited K2

ACP Secretary Karrar Haidri congratulated Kashif on being recognised by Guinness World Records.

Kashif is also the youngest Pakistani to have climbed Broad Peak (8,047m) at the age of 17. He used supplemental oxygen on his climbs at Broad Peak, the Everest and K2.

His first climb was at the age of 11 when he climbed the 3,885-metre-high Makra Peak, followed by Musa Ka Musalla, a 4,080-metre-high mountain.

Continuing to train for longer and harder treks, he did the Gondogoro La K2 Base Camp trek at the age of 14 and at 15, he was able to complete the Khurdo Pin Pass (5,800m) trek. At 18, he did Khusar Gang, a 6,050m peak Alpine style.

Nepal, China and Pakistan are home to14 of the world's highest peaks, called the 8,000ers.

While the world’s tallest mountain, the Everest, is located in Nepal, Pakistan is home to five mountains more than 8,000m tall, namely K2, Gasherbrum-I, Gasherbrum-II, Broad Peak and Nanga Parbat.

Climbers most rely on bottled oxygen to summit these death-zone peaks as the pressure of oxygen is insufficient to sustain human life for an extended time span above the altitude of 8,000m.

Opinion

The Dar story continues

The Dar story continues

One wonders what the rationale was for the foreign minister — a highly demanding, full-time job — being assigned various other political responsibilities.

Editorial

Wheat protests
Updated 01 May, 2024

Wheat protests

The government should withdraw from the wheat trade gradually, replacing the existing market support mechanism with an effective new one over the next several years.
Polio drive
01 May, 2024

Polio drive

THE year’s fourth polio drive has kicked off across Pakistan, with the aim to immunise more than 24m children ...
Workers’ struggle
Updated 01 May, 2024

Workers’ struggle

Yet the struggle to secure a living wage — and decent working conditions — for the toiling masses must continue.
All this talk
Updated 30 Apr, 2024

All this talk

The other parties are equally legitimate stakeholders in the country’s political future, and it must give them due consideration.
Monetary policy
30 Apr, 2024

Monetary policy

ALIGNING its decision with the trend in developed economies, the State Bank has acted wisely by holding its key...
Meaningless appointment
30 Apr, 2024

Meaningless appointment

THE PML-N’s policy of ‘family first’ has once again triggered criticism. The party’s latest move in this...