Search underway for 3 climbers on K2 mountain in Pakistan 

A collage photo of Pakistani mountaineer Ali Sadpara (C) and his two companions, John Snorri of Iceland (R) and Juan Pablo Mohr of Chile (L).
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Updated 07 February 2021
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Search underway for 3 climbers on K2 mountain in Pakistan 

  • The base camp received no signals from Pakistani mountaineer Ali Sadpara and his foreign companions after 8,000 meters on Friday 
  • K2 is the most prominent peak on the Pakistani side of the Himalayan range and the world’s second tallest after Mount Everest

ISLAMABAD: An aerial search was underway Sunday to find three experienced climbers who lost contact with base camp during their ascent of the world’s second highest mountain in northern Pakistan, officials said.
Karrar Haideri, a top official with the Alpine Club of Pakistan, said army helicopters resumed the search that began a day earlier for Pakistani mountaineer Ali Sadpara and his two companions, John Snorri of Iceland and Juan Pablo Mohr of Chile.
The three lost contact with base camp late Friday and were reported missing Saturday after their support team stopped receiving reports from them during their ascent of the 8,611-meter (28,250-foot) high K2 mountain.
“The base camp received no signals from Sadpara and his foreign companions after 8,000 meters ... . A search is on and let's pray for their safe return home,” Haideri told The Associated Press.
On Saturday, choppers flew to a height of 7,000 meters (23,000 feet) to try to locate the missing mountaineers with no success.
Pakistan’s foreign ministry issued a statement saying Iceland's foreign minister, Gudlaugur Thór Thórdarson, spoke to his Pakistani counterpart, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, by telephone. Qureshi assured him that Pakistan will spare no effort in the search for the missing mountaineers.
Sadpara and his team left their base camp on Feb. 3, a month after their first attempt to scale the mountain failed because of weather conditions.??
Haideri said Sadpara’s son, Sajid, had returned to the base camp safely after his oxygen regulator malfunctioned at 8,000 meters.
Haideri noted Sadpara's experience as a mountaineer who has climbed the world's eight highest mountains, including the highest, Mount Everest, and was attempting to climb K2 in winter.
K2 is the most prominent peak on the Pakistani side of the Himalayan range and the world’s second tallest after Mount Everest. Winter winds on K2 can blow at more than 200 kph (125 mph) and temperatures drop to minus 60 degrees Celsius (minus 76 Fahrenheit).
A team of 10 Nepalese climbers made history on Jan. 16 by scaling the K2 for the first time in winter. 

 

 


Pak-Qatar becomes Pakistan’s first dedicated family takaful operator to list on PSX

Updated 01 January 2026
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Pak-Qatar becomes Pakistan’s first dedicated family takaful operator to list on PSX

  • Pak-Qatar Family Takaful Limited’s initial public offering raises $3.2 million, says company
  • Company says remains committed to strengthening Pakistan’s Islamic financial eco-system

KARACHI: The Pak-Qatar Family Takaful Limited (PQFTL) became the first dedicated family Takaful operator to be listed on the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX), the company announced on Thursday, saying the development would strengthen the ecosystem for Islamic financial products and services in the stock market. 

PQFTL is the country’s first and largest dedicated shariah-compliant family risk-protection provider, holding 44 percent of the total family takaful market and more than 90 percent of the fully dedicated segment, with a nationwide presence of 73 branches and 1,971 field representatives.

The company announced in a statement last month it would offer 50 million shares, starting at a floor price of Rs14 per share ($0.05), with a ceiling of Rs21 per share ($0.07). Of the total issue, 37.5 million shares will be allocated to institutional investors, while 12.5 million shares will be offered to the general public.

In its latest statement, the PQTFL said the book building and public subscription portions of its Initial Public Offering (IPO) were oversubscribed by 3.2 times and 3.8 times, respectively, reflecting strong investor confidence in the company and Pakistan’s Islamic financial ecosystem.

“The IPO raised Rs901 million [$3.2 million], achieving a 29 percent premium, reflecting strong investor interest and positive market perception,” the statement said. 

“This historic milestone and response from investors underscore PQFTL’s exceptional financial resilience, strategic foresight, and unwavering commitment to Shariah-compliant excellence,” it added. 

The company said over 8,200 investors participated in the IPO, making it one of the highest investor turnouts in Pakistan’s insurance and Takaful sector. 

“The offering attracted a diverse mix of institutional investors, insurance companies, family offices, corporate investors, and a significant number of individual investors,” it said. 

Muhammad Kamran Saleem, a member of the board of directors of the PQFTL, said the company’s listing on the stock exchange was a “historic achievement.”

“The overwhelming response from investors demonstrates deep trust in our business fundamentals, Shariah governance standards and strategic vision,” he said. 

“We are grateful to Allah Almighty for this historic achievement and we remain committed to strengthening the Islamic financial eco-system and long-term sustainable value creation to all our stakeholders.”

PQFTL said the IPO proceeds will help it in meeting regulatory capital requirements, expand digital distribution channels, enhance product innovation and drive customer-centric growth initiatives.