Pakistani female mountaineers created history on Friday morning by achieving what no other woman from the country has done before – reaching the top of the 2nd highest peak of the world – 8611m high K2.
At 7:40am Pakistan time, Samina Baig summited the mighty K2 along with her team members and became the first ever Pakistani woman to scale the K2. Less than three hours after Samina’s summit, Naila Kiani reached the top – becoming the second.
No other Pakistani woman has achieved this feat before.
Several other climbers from various countries, including female climbers from Oman, Lebanon, Iran, and Taiwan, also summited the peak on Friday morning.
The summit push started late last night as soon as rope fixing teams completed their jobs and the first group reached K2 at around 3:00am in the night.
Pakistan’s 31-year-old climber, Samina Baig’s team confirmed that she – along with other Pakistani mountaineers – summitted at 7:42am PKT on Friday.
“We are extremely proud to announce that Samina Baig, with her strong Pakistani team, successfully summited the world’s most fascinating and dangerous mountain, known as Savage Mountain, the world’s second and Pakistan’s tallest mountain, K2, at 8611 metres this morning at 7:42am,” said the statement by Samina’s team at ground.
“Grateful and blessed that K2 allowed her to stand atop this incredible mountain,” the statement added.
Samina Baig comes from the remote village of Gilgit Valley, Shimshal. Earlier in 2013, she became the first Pakistani woman to scale the world’s highest peak, Mount Everest.
The other members to climb with Samina include Eid Muhammad, Bulbul Karim, Ahmed Baig, Rizwan Dad, Waqar Ali and Akber Hussain Sadpara.
Less than three hours after Samina’s feat, Pakistan’s other climber, Naila Kiani, reached the top of K2.
“Yes, Allhamdolillah,” Naila texted this correspondent via satellite communication device, confirming her summit.
Taking to Twitter, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif congratulated Samina Baig and the team on accomplishing the feat.
