SWAT, Sept 22, 2025: Young women from Swat and Chitral have shattered long-standing gender stereotypes. They successfully completed high-altitude trekking, ice climbing and rock climbing.
Their mission combined adventure with scientific research to study the impact of climate change on glaciers and fragile mountain ecosystems. The intensive 10-day program was organized by Mountain Wilderness International in collaboration with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Department of Culture and Tourism.
It aimed to empower women from remote regions who have traditionally been excluded from physically demanding outdoor activities.
Italian instructors and professional climbers, including Lorenza Pratali, Sara Pozzetti, Francesca Zennaro, Sarah Haase, and Erminia Devoti, led the program. They trained participants in glacier progression, rope techniques, high-altitude trekking, and the use of specialized technical equipment.
For many participants, the experience proved transformative both personally and academically.
Mehrosh Akhtar, a BS Environmental Science student from Upper Chitral, said, “Living 10 days in tents, climbing rocks and ice, and taking on these challenges proved that girls are not behind men. The mountains are beautiful but fragile. Human activities are harming them. We must decide the future of our glaciers through our actions today.”
Laila Rauf, an MS English student from Swat, described her first encounter with the Passu Glacier as life-changing.
“I always thought of glaciers as distant, frozen giants. Being there and walking on them was entirely different. We saw crevasses and cracks — signs of glaciers melting before our eyes. It made me realize that urgent action is needed to protect these natural wonders for future generations.”
The program also included theoretical sessions on environmental protection, high-altitude medicine, first aid, mountain geography, and map orientation.
The participants received certificates and diplomas at a ceremony held at Postgraduate Girls College, Saidu Sharif. The event marked a historic milestone for women in mountaineering and environmental research in northern Pakistan.
Story originally published in dawn.com
A group of women also trekked to Terichmir base camp in Chitral in August 2025.