K-2 expedition: Local climbers reach base camp

First Pakistani expedition to K-2 reached the advanced base camp of the world’s second highest peak on Sunday, said a press release by the Ev-K2-CNR, which has sponsored the expedition. Eight mountaineers from Gilgit-Baltistan are attempting the K-2 to mark the 60th anniversary of the first ascent of the peak by an Italian expedition on July 31, 1954. “All members are in good health and spirit. We are looking forward to favourable weather to start the ascent. We request the nation to pray for our success,” team leader Muhammad Taqi told the Islamabad office by satellite phone. He hoped that the snowfall will stop in two or three days, before they could start climbing. The mountaineering expedition is supported by the government of Gilgit-Baltistan and has been organised by the Pakistani team that climbed the Broad Peak last year. In the last 60 years, different single Pakistani climbers reached the K-2 summit, but this is the first totally-Pakistani team attempt. Three Italian technical experts are accompanying the Pakistani team. Ev-K2-CNR President Agostino Da Polenza, who reached the K-2 summit in 1983 and has been the team leader of three K-2 expeditions, said, “We are happy to organise the first Pakistani expedition. I hope all Pakistani mountaineers will reach the summit.” Agostino said the expedition will also promote the Central Karakorm National Park, on which the organisation is working in collaboration with the Gilgit-Baltistan government and the Karakoram International University. Youth wilderness camp A youth development organisation has announced a four-day wilderness-based youth leadership programme titled “Markhor 2014” in Nathiagali. Named after Pakistan’s national animal — Markhor — the programme will take place at Mukshpuri top on September 25-28, 2014, said a press release. Youth Impact CEO Abdul Samad Khan said the youth-leadership programme will employ nature as a classroom for the learning and development of young minds. He said Markhor is a symbol of pride, nobility, resilience and courage and the event aims to inculcate and develop those values into the future leaders. Youths from around the country will attend the camp, which will help them learn from the challenges in the wilderness, he added. The programme will feature expeditions, community interactions, nature association as well as talks by corporate, political and social leaders and celebrities. The initiative is supported by the Institute of Policy Studies’ (IPS) Learning, Excellence and Development Programme (LEAD). Published in The Express Tribune, June 23rd, 2014.