ISLAMABAD: Dubai-based Pakistani mountaineer Naila Kiani has scaled 8,586-meter-high Kanchenjunga, the tallest peak in India, her organizer said on Friday, as the climber posed with a Pakistani flag at the summit.
Kiani has become the first Pakistani woman to scale 12 of the world’s 14 peaks above the height of 8,000 meters, according to Alpine Club of Pakistan (ACP), which arranges various expeditions.
Kiani, who stands on the threshold of joining a global elite of only 17 women who have conquered all 14 eight-thousanders, reached the Kanchenjunga summit early Friday, the Imagine Nepal expedition organizer said.
“At around 7:00 AM NPT [Nepal time], our incredible team of 10 climbers successfully summited Kanchenjunga (8,586m) — the world’s third-highest mountain,” Imagine Nepal said on Facebook.
“Naila Kiani reached the summit of Kanchenjunga at 6:30am local time, becoming Pakistan’s leading female mountaineer with 12 eight-thousanders to her name,” Alpine Club of Pakistan quoted Dawa Futi Sherpa, operations director at Imagine Nepal, as saying.
The Pakistani club said this was a “monumental milestone” in the history of Pakistani mountaineering and a moment of immense national pride.
“From the towering heights of Everest and K2 to the perilous slopes of Annapurna and Lhotse, her journey tells a powerful story of grit, resilience and an unshakable will,” the ACP said.
“This is not just a personal achievement— it is a symbol of empowerment for women in sports, a beacon of hope and inspiration for Pakistan, and a proud moment for every mountaineering enthusiast.”
Kiani has previously summited Mount Makalu (8,485m), Broad Peak (8,047 meters), Annapurna (8,091 meters), K2 (8,611 meters), Lhotse (8,516 meters), Gasherbrum 1 (8,068 meters), Gasherbrum II (8,035 meters), Nanga Parbat (8,125 meters), Mount Everest (8,849 meters), Manaslu (8,156 meters) and Cho Oyu (8,201 meters) mountains.
