ISLAMABAD: Sajid Sadpara, the son of Pakistani climber Muhammad Ali Sadpara, who went missing with two other climbers while attempting a winter ascent of the K2, addressed a press conference on Thursday and announced his father’s death, saying he would keep his father’s climbing mission alive.
Pakistan’s Sadpara, Iceland’s John Snorri and Chile’s JP Mohr were last sighted on February 5, at around 10 am, at what is considered the most difficult part of the climb: the Bottleneck, a steep and narrow gully just 300 meters shy of the 8,611 meter (28,251 ft) high K2.
Addressing a joint news briefing with Gilgit-Baltistan’s tourism minister Raja Nasir Ali Khan, Sajid, who last saw his father at about 8,200 meters, said he was sure that Sadpara had completed the ascent of the K2.
“I’m quite certain along with other international climbers with significant experience that they summited the mountain before meeting an accident on their way back,” he said.
“God willing, we will all support each other in this hour of grief,” he added. “I also want to assure our nation and all those climbers who respected Ali Sadpara that I will follow in my father’s footsteps and continue his mission.”
Sajid said that his family was thankful for all the love expressed by the people of Pakistan.
Meanwhile, the region’s tourism minister requested the government to present a civil award to Sadpara and his son.
He also said Chief Minister Gilgit-Baltistan Khalid Khurshid would personally announce a financial package to support the Sadpara family.
“We will arrange scholarships for [Sadpara’s] children to help them with their education,” Khan said. “We will also request [the government] to name the Skardu airport after Muhammad Ali Sadpara and do the same with the mountaineering school in Shigar district.”
Nestled along the China-Pakistan border, K2 is the world’s second highest peak and its most deadly mountain, with immense skill required to charter its steep slopes, high winds, slick ice and ever-changing weather conditions. Of the 367 people that had completed its ascent by 2018, 86 had died. The Pakistani military is regularly called in to rescue climbers using helicopters, but the weather often makes that difficult.
Earlier in January, a team of 10 Nepali climbers made history by becoming the first to ever scale K2 in winter. Sadpara and his expedition members were making their second attempt at climbing K2 this winter in a season that had already seen three other climbers die in the area.
In a statement, the Alpine Club of Pakistan called Sadpara “our national hero.” 
“Our deepest sympathies go out to Mountaineers families,” Karrar Haidri, the club’s secretary, said. “May God give them comfort and peace and may the soul of Mountaineers rest in peace.”
In a statement, Snorri’s family thanked authorities in Pakistan, Chile and Iceland “for their devotion and efforts for finding our loved ones.”
“There is no doubt in our minds that the extent of the search and the technologies used in the search were unprecedented and hopefully will improve the safety of future mountaineers around the world,” the statement said. “The Pakistani Army has been extremely supportive in these difficult times sharing resources and manpower. To the brave people of the Pakistani armed forces we say thank you for caring for Ali, John and Juan Pablo.”
“Our Icelandic hearts are beating with Pakistani and Chilean hearts. Thank you to all who have devoted your time to the search and taken the time to care by sending supportive words and thoughts to us in these difficult times. Ali, John and Juan Pablo will live forever in our hearts.”
Mohr’s family also thanked the Pakistan government, government of Gilgit Baltistan and the Pakistan army and “with a special mention to Sadpara family, for all the support and friendship and their friends and people from Skardu, who’s love for Ali, JP and John is now forever in our hearts.”
“We will continue their legacy, together,” the Mohr family said.