SKARDU: Pakistani mountaineer Murad Sadpara has succumbed to head injuries whilst descending the Broad Peak mountain in the country’s northwestern Gilgit-Baltistan region, the Alpine Club of Pakistan and fellow climbers confirmed on Monday, saying that his body will be shifted to his village provided weather conditions were favorable.
The deceased was an accomplished mountaineer, who hailed from the Sadpara Valley in Pakistan’s semi-autonomous Gilgit-Baltistan area. Sadpara, 35, had an impressive record that included summiting the 8,126-meter-high Nanga Parbat twice in one week. He was also part of a team of Pakistani climbers that last week recovered the body of a porter, Hassan Shigri, from the K2 mountain.
Pakistani climbers urged authorities to launch a rescue operation for Sadpara on Sunday after reports emerged he had been injured on the 8,051-meter-high Broad Peak mountain. Dubai-based mountaineer Naila Kiani said Sadpara was accompanying a team of climbers on the Broad Peak expedition and was hired to go as far as camp 3. When his team returned without summiting the mountain due to bad weather, they were all on their way down when a rock hit Sadpara on the head, causing him to be severely wounded.
“In a heartbreaking incident, prominent Pakistani mountaineer Murad Sadpara has died while descending from Broad Peak, which stands at 8,047 meters,” the Alpine Club of Pakistan said in a statement. “Sadpara, well-regarded for his bravery in rescue missions and commitment to mountain clean-up efforts, was severely injured during his descent when a loose rock struck him on the head at Camp One.”
The Alpine Club said rescue efforts were hampered by harsh weather on the mountain. It added that the Broad Peak Rescue Team, dispatched from the base camp earlier in the day, confirmed Sadpara had died after arriving at the mountain’s camp one.
The statement further said Sadpara’s body will be transferred from camp one to the base camp by 2:00 p.m. today, Monday, after which it will be shifted to Skardu via an army helicopter.
“At just 35 years old, Murad Sadpara had already established himself as a brave and dedicated mountaineer, passionately advocating for the protection and preservation of Pakistan’s mountainous regions,” the Alpine Club said. “He spent his summers on the peaks, while his winters were devoted to supporting his family by driving tractors. He leaves behind three daughters, a son, and a lasting legacy of courage and selflessness.”
Kiani expressed grief at Sadpara’s passing in a Facebook post.
“I am heartbroken to share that Sadpara is no longer with us,” she wrote. “The rescue team found his body at 6:00 am today.”
Pakistani climber Shehroze Kashif paid tribute to Sadpara, describing him as an “amazing climber” and his best friend.
“He always kept entertaining us, loved singing and never got bored,” Kashif recalled. “I don’t have words to express sadness. I can say may God rest his soul in eternal peace.”
Pakistan is home to five of the world’s tallest mountains that loom above 8,000 meters, including the K2 and Nanga Parbat mountains, known for their treacherous climbs. This year, over 2,000 foreign climbers and trekkers have applied for permits for mountaineering expeditions and trekking in Gilgit Baltistan.
This summer, five Japanese climbers and a Brazilian paraglider lost their lives in Pakistan’s Karakoram mountain range in separate incidents.
