Hunza siblings achieve another mountaineering feat
ISLAMABAD, Jan 18: Climbing duo Samina Baig and Mirza Ali from Hunza valley made history again when they summated the highest peak in Antarctica on Saturday.
The five-member team, including Samina Baig and her brother Mirza Ali, successfully captured Mount Vinson at 1am Pakistan standard time (PST).
Karrar Haidri, member executive council Alpine Club of Pakistan (ACP), confirmed that Samina and her elder brother had become the first Pakistanis to reach the top of the highest peak on Antarctica.
Samina became the first Pakistani woman to climb the Mount Everest on May 19, 2013. Since then, she and her brother have undertaken to climb the seven highest peaks in the seven continents. The duo was part of the Adventure Diplomacy Group, which consisted of the embassies Argentina, Indonesia, Nepal, Russia, United States of America, and the Serena hotels. In December 2013, Samina also became the first Pakistani woman to have climbed Mt Aconcagua in Argentina, the highest peak in South America. She and her brother made it to the top together. According to the ACP, after this successful attempt the group will be later travelling to Tanzania to climb Mt Kilmanjaro before returning to Pakistan. Mr Haidri explained that they would then be travelling to Indonesia to attempt Puncak Jaya, 4,884 metres high.
It may be noted that Mirza Ali has also planned to attempt Mt Everest again in the pre-monsoon season next year. During the next summer, the pair would be attempting Mt McKinley in Alaska. Both would be flying to Russia to climb the 5,642 metres high Elbrus, the highest peak in Europe, in August. Mr Haidri added that a Pakistani-Canadian philanthropist and some of his overseas friends were financing the venture of Samina and her brother.
He explained that the seven summits were the highest mountains of each of the seven continents. “Some of these mountains may be as easy to climb as walking in the park. But extreme weather conditions such as strong winds or sub-zero temperatures are some of the factors that make climbing a challenge. Conquering all of them is viewed as a mountaineering feat. If they are successful, it will be no less than a record attempt,” said the ACP official, elaborating how the two climbers were first Pakistanis to attempt to capture the seven summits.