Sirbaz Khan has become the first Pakistani climber to climb 10 of the world’s highest 14 peaks — each at a height of more than 8,000 metres — after scaling the 8,586-metre-high Kanchenjunga mountain in Nepal.
“Sirbaz stood atop the world’s third-highest peak at 7am on Saturday with other members of the team, led by Mingma Gyalje Sherpa (Mingma G) of Imagine Nepal,” Karar Haidar, the secretary of the Alpine Club of Pakistan, said in a statement.
Sirbaz thanked the nation for supporting him and requested them to pray for his safe return.
Among 8000ers, Kanchenjunga, which forms part of the Himalayas range, is said to be the most difficult mountain to climb to the top from the final camp and takes the longest time as well due it its steep gorges and bitterly cold climate.
Sajid Ali Sadpara, the son of late legendary mountaineer Mohammad Ali Sadpara and a climber himself, tweeted: “Congratulations kako Sirbaz khan for conquering the world’s 3rd highest mountain Kanchenjunga.”
Sirbaz, 32, hails from the Aliabad area of Hunza in Gilgit-Baltistan and began his climbing career in 2016.
In 2019, he became the first Pakistani to summit Mount Lhotse, the world’s fourth-highest mountain at 8,516m in Nepal, without the use of supplementary oxygen.
Moreover, he summited the 8,125-metre-high Nanga Parbat in 2017, 8,611-metre-high K-2 in 2018 and Broad Peak, which has a height of 8,163 metres, in 2019. Earlier this year, he climbed the 8,091-metre-high Anapurna mountain, 8,848-metre-high Everest and 8,035-metre-high Gasherbrum II.
Sirbaz is aiming to become the first Pakistani to climb all 14 of the world’s highest peaks.
