ISLAMABAD, July 3: A team of mountaineers from Pakistan and China are launching an expedition on Mount Muztagh Ata to pay tribute to the two Chinese climbers who were among 10 foreign climbers slain at the base camp of Nanga Parbat last month.

“The expedition is being launched to pay tribute to the slain Chinese mountaineers on behalf of the Pakistani mountaineering community and to renew friendship with the Chinese Mountaineering Association (CMA),” said Col Manzoor Hussain, the president of the Alpine Club of Pakistan (ACP). The 7,546 metres high peak is situated in China about 180 kilometres from the Khunjrab Pass. The joint expedition comprises four members from each side.

“This expedition has become more important after the massacre of 10 foreign climbers, including the two Chinese, at the Nanga Parbat base camp on June 22,” said Col Hussain.

The members of the ACP team are scheduled to leave Islamabad for Taxkorgan and Kashgar, Autonomous Region of Xinjiang, on July 5.The Pakistani side will be crossing over the Pak-China border at Khunjerab Pass on July 7 and start climbing the peak on July 9. The expedition is likely to stay on the mountain till July 27 and will return home by August 1.

The logistic support to the team in China is being provided by the CMA. “In line with the close cooperation and friendly relations that existed between Pakistan and China in all walks of life, the ACP enjoys close relationship with the CMA and the China Tibet Mountaineering Association (CMA),” said Karrar Haidri, the member executive council of the ACP.

Both ACP and CMA have collaborated and cooperated for the promotion of mountaineering at all forums. In addition, many joint Pak-China expeditions have been launched since 1997 to Mt Everest, and all the five over 8,000 metres high peaks in Pakistan to promote friendship and close cooperation between mountaineers of both the countries.

In 2013, a Pakistan-China Friendship Expedition was launched to Spantik Peak (7,027m) in Gilgit-Baltistan by the government of Pakistan to commemorate the 60th year of the establishment of the diplomatic relations between the two countries.

“The expedition, which comprised six climbers each from ACP and CMA, was successful not only in summiting the peak but also further fostering friendship between Pakistani and Chinese mountaineering community,” he said.