A young mountaineer climbed the second-highest mountain last week, saying he felt a “sense of achievement” as he stood at the top of K2 summit and raised the Pakistani flag.
Shehroze Kashif, 19, a native of the eastern city of Lahore in Pakistan, climbed the K2 mountain top at 8,611 meters (28,251 feet) last week, becoming the world’s first youngest mountaineer to scale the precarious mountain, according to Karrar Haidri, the secretary of the Alpine Club of Pakistan.
“I faced a lot of difficulties, I had no porter along and carried all the gadgets and luggage by myself,” Kashif said during an interview.
He explained how he received a good deal of help from Nepali Sherpas. However, Sherpas are known for their endurance at high elevations and often work as guides for foreign mountain climbers.
K2, located in the Karakorum range in northern Pakistan, near the country’s border with China is nicknamed “savage mountain” as it is considered to be the most dangerous climb for mountaineers.
Kashif sporting a thick brown jacket spoke of the dangerous pathways along the route to the summit, including Chimney, Bottleneck and Shoulder.
Kashif said that he felt ecstatic being the youngest mountaineer to have climbed the summit and was extremely appreciative of the mountaineering management’s cooperation.
Showing a reporter a video clip on his mobile device during the interview, Kashif was seen praying after reaching the summit.
The secretary of the Alpine club of Pakistan, Haidri, said that Kashif had made Pakistan extremely proud. He “became the pride of the nation and we will recommend to the government a high reward for him,” he said.
According to Kashif his mountain climbing journey started at the age of 11 when he climbed a small peak and then moved onto greater heights
“I received mountaineer training and technical assistance and moved on to big mountains in which the dangerous and difficult mountains K2, Broad Peak and Mount Everest are included,” he said.
Haidri said Kashif now holds the additional distinction of being the youngest person to reach the summit of K2 and Everest. “My message to the world is to challenge your limit, cross it and get what you desire,” he said. As stated by Kashif, he now plans to travel to Nepal and attempt to climb two peaks above 8000 meters (26,246.72 feet).
