KHAPLU, GILGIT-BALTISTAN: Pakistani mountaineer Sirbaz Khan on Tuesday achieved another milestone by successfully scaling the world’s tallest mountain, Mount Everest, without supplementary oxygen, Pakistani and Nepalese expedition organizers said.
Born and raised in Ali Abad village in Pakistan’s mountainous Hunza district, Khan has previously summited 13 of the 14 peaks in the world above the height of 8,000 meters, including K2.
He was part of the ‘Imagine Nepal 2024 Everest Expedition’ team, which included 14 international climbers and 18 sherpas who reached the 8,849-meter-high summit on Tuesday morning, according to the Imagine Nepal tour company and the Alpine Club of Pakistan.
“Congratulations to Sirbaz Khan on successfully summiting Mount Everest 8,848.86 meters (29,031.69 feet) without the use of supplemental oxygen,” Karrar Haidri, secretary-general of the Alpine Club of Pakistan, said in a statement.
The team of 14 international climbers and 18 sherpas summitted Everest in “various hours between NPT 5:15 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. on the morning of 21 May 2024,” the Imagine Nepal tour company said in a Facebook post.
Khan’s family celebrated the feat in Pakistan, according to his younger brother, Shahbaz Khan.
“We are very happy because today Sirbaz summited Everest without supplementary oxygen. We are celebrating this moment and especially our mother is very excited. There is an environment of festivity at our home,” Shahbaz told Arab News over the phone.
“Whenever he [Sirbaz] starts his summit push, we offer special prayers for him. Because you know, we can’t trust the mountains. However, when he summits, we celebrate. Now we are also offering prayers for his safe descent.”
Khan planned to summit the 8,027-meter Shishapangma peak — the last of the 14 peaks above 8,000 meters — but had to delay the expedition as China did not open the mountain to international climbers, according to his brother.
He also climbed Everest in 2021 and is the first Pakistani to climb 11 out of 14 ‘eight-thousanders’ without oxygen support. Khan had summitted only Annapurna and Kangchenjunga peaks using oxygen support.
“Congratulations @sirbazkhan_mission14 for climbing Everest without supplemental oxygen and a personal sherpa. He is now the only Pakistani to climb 11 peaks without Oxygen,” Naila Kiani, a Pakistani woman climber, said in an Instagram post.
“Sirbaz is the second [Pakistani after] Sajid Ali Sadpara to climb Everest without O2, following our younger brother @sajidalisadpara, who climbed it last year. Sirbaz is also the only Pakistani to climb Everest twice. Climbing Everest without oxygen is a true test of human grit. Congratulations, Ustad.”
Pakistan’s Sirbaz Khan scales Mt Everest without supplementary oxygen
https://arab.news/jyd7a
Pakistan’s Sirbaz Khan scales Mt Everest without supplementary oxygen
- Khan is the first Pakistani to summit 11 out of 14 ‘eight-thousanders’ without using supplementary oxygen
- He was part of ‘Imagine Nepal 2024 Everest Expedition,’ which included 14 international climbers, 18 sherpas
Pakistan joins 22 Muslim states, OIC to condemn Israeli FM’s visit to Somaliland
- Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar visited breakaway African region of Somaliland on January 6
- Muslim states urge Israel to withdraw Somaliland recognition, respect Somalia’s sovereignty
ISLAMABAD: A joint statement by Pakistan, 22 other Muslim states and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Thursday condemned Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar’s recent visit to Somaliland as a violation of the African nation’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.
Saar’s visit to Somaliland capital Hargeisa on Jan. 6 followed Israel’s move last month to recognize Somaliland, a breakaway region from Somalia, as an independent country. The move drew a sharp reaction from Muslim states, including Pakistan, who said it was in contravention of the UN Charter and international norms.
Several international news outlets months earlier reported that Israel had contacted Somaliland over the potential resettlement of Palestinians forcibly removed from Gaza. Muslim countries fear Israel’s recognition of the breakaway region could be part of its plan to forcibly relocate Palestinians from Gaza to the region.
“The said visit constitutes a clear violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Somalia, and undermines established international norms and the United Nations Charter,” the joint statement shared by Pakistan’s foreign office, read.
The joint statement was issued on behalf of 23 Muslim states, including Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Egypt, Iraq, Iran, Palestine, Jordan, Kuwait, Türkiye, Oman and others.
It reaffirmed support for Somalia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, pointing out that respect for international law and non-interference in the internal affairs of sovereign states was necessary for regional stability.
“Encouraging secessionist agendas are unacceptable and risk exacerbating tensions in an already fragile region,” the statement said.
The joint statement urged Israel to revoke its recognition of the breakaway region.
“Israel should fully respect Somalia’s sovereignty, national unity and territorial integrity and honor its obligations in compliance with international law, and demand immediate revocation of the recognition issued by Israel,” the statement read.
Somaliland broke away from Somalia unilaterally in 1991 as a civil war raged in the country. Somaliland has its own constitution, parliament and currency, a move that has infuriated Somalia over the years as it insists the region is part of its territory.
