Historic Ascent in Gilgit-Baltistan
A team of Pakistani women mountaineers has made history by successfully completing the country’s first all-women expedition to summit Bari La Peak in Gilgit-Baltistan. The peak stands at 5,400 meters and has now become a symbol of empowerment and progress for women in adventure sports.
The expedition was organised to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of the Alpine Club of Pakistan. Women from all four provinces, along with Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Kashmir, and Islamabad, participated in this landmark climb.
Training and Determination
The climbers underwent training and acclimatisation at the Sadpara Mountaineering Training School. Renowned mountaineers Sajid Sadpara and Ashraf Sadpara supervised their drills and guided them through the technical challenges of the expedition.
The four-day journey began in Skardu on September 7. The group camped at Deosai Top for acclimatisation, conducted hiking drills, and then launched their summit push. On September 10, they successfully reached the top of Bari La Peak.
The Trailblazing Team
The expedition was led by Bibi Afzoon. Other members included Mona Khan, a journalist from Islamabad, Amina Shabbir from Islamabad, Maria Bangash from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Zeba Batool from Gilgit-Baltistan, Bisma Hassan and Iqra Jillani from Punjab, Laraib Batool from Balochistan, Madeeha Syed from Sindh, and Shahreen Khan from Islamabad.
“This climb is not just about reaching a peak, but about empowerment and showing that Pakistani women can rise to any challenge,” said Karrar Haidri, Vice President of the Alpine Club of Pakistan.
National Recognition and Future Plans
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif congratulated the team and invited them to the Prime Minister’s House in recognition of their historic achievement.
The guides for the expedition—Sajid Sadpara, Ashraf Sadpara, Fida Ali, and Sharif Sadpara—praised the women’s courage and resilience. “I am proud to have been part of this team. These women showed great courage and strength,” said Sajid Sadpara.
Pakistan’s most decorated female mountaineer also welcomed the achievement, saying: “It is heartwarming to see new girls turning to mountaineering. These young climbers deserve proper support and backing so they can scale even higher peaks in the future.”
The Alpine Club announced plans to organise more such expeditions to inspire greater female participation in mountaineering and adventure sports.
