According to the Alpine Club of Pakistan (ACP), Naila Kiani, a mountaineer, achieved a remarkable feat on Sunday by becoming the first Pakistani woman to successfully summit 11 peaks above 8,000 meters in the world.
Kiani’s accomplishment was reaching the summit of Makalu in Nepal, the world’s fifth-highest mountain at 8,485 meters.
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The ACP announced on Facebook today that Naila [Kiani] has successfully summited Makalu, making her the first woman in Pakistan’s history to conquer 11 x 8,000-meter peaks.
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According to ACP Secretary Karrar Haidri, Naila [Kiani] has set a new record as the fastest Pakistani, male or female, to summit 11 of the 8,000-meter peaks in less than three years. This outstanding achievement also marks her as the first Pakistani woman to reach the summit of this extremely challenging mountain.
The ACP secretary has acknowledged that Naila has successfully reached the summit of Makalu after a challenging climb throughout the night. This achievement took place at approximately 9:35am Nepal time (8:50am Pakistan time).
According to the statement, Naila expresses her gratitude for all the prayers and well-wishes she has received. She extends her special thanks to Sherpa Gelgen Dai from Imagine Nepal, who has been a constant support throughout her journey, making this remarkable feat possible. Haidri also added his appreciation for Sherpa Gelgen Dai’s assistance.
Kiani has an impressive list of mountaineering accomplishments. In April of last year, she became the first Pakistani woman to conquer Nepal’s Annapurna peak, which stands at a towering height of 8,091m, making it the 10th-highest peak in the world. The following month, she went on to successfully summit Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world, becoming the second Pakistani woman to achieve this remarkable feat.
In the month of July, Kiani and Samina Baig achieved a remarkable milestone by becoming the pioneering Pakistani women to conquer Nanga Parbat, the world’s ninth-highest peak standing at an impressive height of 8,125 meters. During that very same month, Kiani also etched her name in history as the first Pakistani woman to reach the summit of Broad Peak, the 12th highest mountain globally, towering at an elevation of 8,051 meters.
Several months later, Kiani joined forces with Sirbaz Khan to create another extraordinary record. Together, they became the first Pakistani duo to successfully ascend Cho Oyu, an awe-inspiring mountain situated in China’s Tibet, reaching a staggering height of 8,201 meters, making it the sixth-highest peak in the world.
“I am sharing my achievements to show that no matter who you are … you can accomplish your dreams”,
She shared her accolades, including being an aerospace engineer, an amateur boxer and a mother to two toddlers.
Emphasising that education was the key to her getting to where she is now, she also called on the prime minister and chief ministers to focus on girls’ education in Pakistan.
