ISLAMABAD: Veteran French mountaineer Marc Batard has enlisted Muhammad Ali Sadpara from Pakistani and Pasang Nuru Sherpa from Nepal to undertake a five-year mountaineering program, Pakistan’s Information Ministry said on Wednesday.
As part of the “Beyond Mount Everest” program, they plan to scale Nanga Parbat in 2019, K-2 in 2021 and Mount Everest in 2022.
Batard met with Moin ul Haque, Pakistan’s ambassador to France, and briefed him on the expedition and his plans to set up a mountaineering school in Nepal, the ministry said.
The ambassador urged Batard to include a Pakistani mountaineer in the expedition, and to consider also setting up a school in Pakistan.
“Batard affectionately recalled his pleasant experiences of mountaineering in Pakistan and hoped that the inclusion of… Sadpara in the team would help in building a positive image of Pakistan,” the ministry said in a statement.
The expedition includes major peaks in Pakistan, which hosts most of the world’s highest mountains. Sadpara successfully scaled Nanga Parbat (8,126 meters) in the winter of 2016.
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Pakistani mountaineer to embark on major expedition
Pakistani mountaineer to embark on major expedition
- Muhammad Ali Sadpara, 41, is a world-renowned Pakistani mountaineer.
- Batard affectionately recalled his pleasant experiences of mountaineering in Pakistan.
US VP says Venezuela can only sell oil if it serves US interests
- The United States controls Venezuela’s purse strings, Vance said
WASHINGTON: US Vice President JD Vance, in remarks due to air later on Wednesday, said Venezuela can only sell its oil if it serves the interests of the United States.
Vance told Fox News’ “Jesse Waters Primetime” show that the United States — which carried out strikes against the South American country and captured its president over the week — controls Venezuela’s purse strings.
“We control the energy resources, and we tell the regime, you’re allowed to sell the oil so long as you serve America’s national interest, you’re not allowed to sell it if you can’t serve America’s national interest,” Vance said.
Excerpts of the interview were released before it aired.
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