THERE has been a flurry of activity and new records set on the summit of the ‘savage mountain’ this summer. On Sunday, Frenchman Benjamin Vedrines reached the top of K2 in record time — just under 11 hours — and that too without oxygen. His feat came days after Polish aviators Sebastian Kawa and Sebastian Kot Lampart became the first in the world to fly a glider aircraft over the world’s second-highest mountain. And on Monday, there were local celebrations when Sultana Bibi became the third woman from Pakistan to successfully scale K2 after Samina Baig and Naila Kiani. Also, Anum Uzair, following in Naila Kiani’s footsteps, became the second woman from Pakistan to summit Broad Peak on the same range as K2. These feats are a boost for aspiring female mountaineers, and showcase Pakistan’s potential of producing top climbers. But there was also news of two Japanese climbers Kazuya Hiraide and Kenro Nakajima suffering a hazardous fall on the mountain; no movement from the two men was detected. The veteran climbers were aiming to become the second team to summit K2 from its perilous western face. There were successful rescue missions, however, with the Pakistan Army bringing back six foreign climbers who had suffered altitude sickness at the base camp, a week after three other climbers were saved.

After a record number of climbers came to Pakistan last year, the north is once again attracting mountaineers. But while there is a need for more facilities, the influx of climbers is threatening the fragile mountain ecosystem. With more climbers, more waste is inevitable. Heroes like Sajid Ali Sadpara, the son of the fallen Ali Sadpara — who died on K2 — bring down all the waste at the end of the climbing season to keep the environmental balance intact. But more must be done to achieve a balance so that commercialisation of Pakistan’s northern reaches does not harm the environment.

Published in Dawn, July 31st, 2024