1st Pakistani climbs world's 7th tallest mountain

By Aamir Latif

KARACHI, Pakistan (AA) – Sirbaz Khan on Friday became the first Pakistani to summit Mount Dhaulagiri, the world's seventh-tallest mountain located in Nepal.

"Congratulations!! Sirbaz Khan, the first Pakistani to successfully climb 8,167 meters (26,794-foot) Mount Dhaulagiri," the Alpine Club of Pakistan, the country's state-run mountaineering body, said in a statement.

The expedition was part of Khan's ambition to climb all 14 peaks over 8,000 meters across the world. He has already climbed eight peaks above 8,000 meters, including Everest and K-2, the world’s tallest and second tallest mountains, respectively, the statement added.

The 32-year-old climber, who hails from the picturesque Hunza valley of the northern Gilgit-Baltistan region, which borders neighboring China, began his professional climbing career in 2016.

In 2019, he became the first Pakistani to summit Mount Lhotse in Nepal, which stands at 8,516 meters (27,939-foot) and is the world's fourth-highest mountain.

Nanga Parbat, Broad Peak, Manaslu, Anapurna, and Gasherbrum II are among his other 8,000-meter peaks expeditions.

Khan has accompanied Pakistan's iconic mountaineer, Muhammad Ali Sadpara, on four of his 8,000-meter peaks expeditions. Sadpara died in February this year while attempting to ascend K-2 without supplementary oxygen.
Khan is aiming to become the first Pakistani to climb all 14 peaks over 8,000-meter.