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 extends airspace ban on Indian-registered aircraft by another month

Updated 20 January 2026
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Pakistan extends airspace ban on Indian-registered aircraft by another month

  • This is the 8th extension of the ban after an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir triggered an India-Pakistan conflict in May
  • The restriction has forced Indian airlines to reroute their flights, increasing fuel consumption, travel times and operating costs

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has extended a ban on Indian-registered aircraft from using its airspace until late February, the Pakistan Airports Authority said on Wednesday, prolonging restrictions that have disrupted flight routes for Indian airlines.

Pakistan first imposed the restriction on April 24 as part of a series of tit-for-tat measures announced by both countries days after an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir.

New Delhi blamed the attack, which killed 26 tourists, on Pakistan. Islamabad denied any involvement and called for a credible, international investigation into the attack.

Tensions quickly escalated after India targeted several sites in Pakistan and Azad Kashmir, triggering intense missile, drone and artillery exchanges before a US-brokered ceasefire took effect on May 10.

“The ban on Indian flights has been extended till 5am on February 24,” the PAA said in a statement. “The ban will apply to aircraft owned, operated or leased by Indian airlines, including military flights.”

This marks the eighth extension of the ban, which has forced Indian airlines to reroute international flights, increasing fuel consumption, travel times and operating costs.

Last month, Pakistan accused India of blocking humanitarian assistance destined for Sri Lanka after Cyclone Ditwah, saying a special Pakistani aircraft carrying aid was forced to wait more than 60 hours for overflight clearance.

Pakistan later sent relief supplies and rescue teams to the island nation by sea, officials said.