First Pakistani husband-wife duo summits world’s eighth-highest peak in Nepal

The photo posted on September 24, 2023, shows Pakistani mountaineers Ahmed Uzair (right) and his wife Anum Uzair on their Mount Manaslu summit in Nepal. (Photo courtesy: @sst8848/X)
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Updated 24 September 2023
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First Pakistani husband-wife duo summits world’s eighth-highest peak in Nepal

  • The couple have previously summited mountains Minglik Sar (6,050 meters) and Hispar (5,246 meters) 
  • Pakistani climbers Naila Kiani, Sirbaz Khan and Shehroze Kashif summited Mount Manaslu earlier this month 

GILGIT: Pakistan’s Ahmed Uzair and Anum Uzair became the first husband-wife duo from the South Asian country to summit Nepal’s towering Mount Manaslu, Nepalese commercial adventure operator Seven Summit Treks confirmed on Sunday. 

Mount Manaslu is the eighth-highest mountain in the world at 8,163 meters and is located in the west-central part of Nepal. Pakistani mountaineers Naila Kiani, Sirbaz Khan and Shehroze Kashif summited the mountain earlier this month. 

Ahmed and Anum Uzair, both parents to two children, summited the mountain on Sunday, Seven Summit Treks wrote on social media platform X. 

“Congratulations to Ahmed and Anum Uzair who successfully climbed the eighth highest peak, Mt. Manaslu (8163m), this morning,” the company wrote. 

“They are the first Pakistani couple to achieve (climb 8,000m peak) this feat.” 

Kashif took to X, formerly Twitter, to congratulate the couple on the feat. 

“What a piece of news to wake up to! It’s truly an outstanding achievement,” he wrote. 

The couple are based in Pakistan’s eastern city of Lahore. Speaking to Arab News, Kashif said Uzair is a barrister by profession while Anum is a forensic doctor. 

“They are my clients. Under my mentorship, they have also climbed Minglik Sar (6,050 meters) and Hisper (5,246 meters) peaks in the past,” he told Arab News. 

Both Minglik Sar and Hispar mountains are located in Pakistan’s northern Gilgit-Baltistan region. 

Kashif said that though the couple had conquered their first eight-thousander (mountains that stand above 8,000 meters high), he believed they would go on to summit more in the future. 

“They will become the first [Pakistani] couple to summit all 14 [eight thousander] peaks,” he added. 


Pakistan urges pilgrims to complete Saudi biometrics as Hajj preparations gain pace

Updated 30 January 2026
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Pakistan urges pilgrims to complete Saudi biometrics as Hajj preparations gain pace

  • Government warns pilgrims biometric verification is required for Hajj visas
  • Step follows tighter oversight after last year’s Hajj travel disruptions

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s government on Friday urged aspiring pilgrims to complete mandatory Saudi biometric verification for Hajj visas, as preparations for the 2026 pilgrimage gather pace following stricter oversight of the Hajj process.

The announcement comes only a day after Pakistan’s Religious Affairs Minister Sardar Muhammad Yousuf said regulations for private Hajj operators had been tightened, reducing their quota following widespread complaints last year, when tens of thousands of pilgrims were unable to travel under the private Hajj scheme.

“Saudi biometric verification is mandatory for the issuance of Hajj visas,” the Ministry of Religious Affairs said in a statement, urging pilgrims to complete the process promptly to avoid delays.

“Hajj pilgrims should complete their biometric verification at home using the ‘Saudi Visa Bio’ app as soon as possible,” it added.

The statement said the pilgrims who were unable to complete biometric verification through the mobile application should visit designated Saudi Tasheer centers before Feb. 8, adding that details of the centers were available on Pakistan’s official Hajj mobile application.

Pakistan has been steadily implementing digital and procedural requirements for pilgrims ahead of Hajj 2026, including mandatory training sessions, biometric checks and greater use of mobile applications, as part of efforts to reduce mismanagement.

Saudi Arabia has allocated Pakistan a quota of 179,210 pilgrims for Hajj 2026, with the majority of seats reserved under the government scheme and the remainder allocated to private tour operators.