ISLAMABAD: At a time, when Pakistan’s climbing duo Samina Baig and her brother Mirza Ali are on their way to complete the ‘seven summits mission’, a team of eight local mountaineers is also gearing up to conquer K2 for the first time ever.
The group of eight mountaineers from Gilgit-Baltistan, who were trained and selected by an Italian expert mountaineer Maurizio Gallo with the support of Pakistan government, will start climbing from June 14 to make an attempt to conquer K2 — the world second highest mountain.
Two Italian mountaineers will also be available to the Pakistani expedition for technical support and assistance in their hour of need.
Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Senator Pervaiz Rashid and Deputy Head of the Italian Mission in Pakistan handed over Pakistani and Italian flags to these local mountaineers at a press conference at the National Press Club yesterday.
Italian non-governmental organisation Ev-K2-CNR will support this Pakistani expedition with necessary funds, equipment, training and technical assistance during the expedition.
Speaking at the press conference, the information minister said: “We have the best mountains and we are thankful to our foreign friends who not only love our mountains but put their efforts to popularise them in their countries.”
Counselor Sansone said the Italians’ love for K2 began in 1909. Since then the Italians have been associated with Karakoram area for its conservation.
President Ev-K2-CNR Agostino Da Polenza said the brand of K2 could uplift Pakistan’s image. The people here are very hard working; they only lack resources, he said.
During the last 60 years, different individual Pakistani climbers have reached K2, but never has this mountain been summated by an All-Pakistani expedition.
Internews
