Naila Kiani and Samina Baig became the first Pakistani women to summit the 8,126-metre-tall (26,660 feet) mountain Nanga Parbat — nicknamed the “Killer Mountain”.
Nanga Parbat is recognized as the world’s ninth-highest peak and Pakistan’s second-highest.
On July 2, 2023, Naila Kiani was the first to summit the treacherous Nanga Parbat at around 10:18 am PST. She was followed by renowned climber Samina Baig, who summited Nanga Parbat at 11:08 am PST, nearly one hour after Naila Kiani’s summit.
“It brings me immense joy to have once again brought global pride to my beloved country,” Naila, a mother of two daughters, said.
Naila Kiani’s accomplishment
The recent accomplishment of Kiani, a Dubai-based Pakistani banker, has established her as the trailblazing Pakistani woman who successfully reached the summit, making her the first of her kind to achieve such a remarkable feat. Not only did she conquer the peak, but she also became the first Pakistani female climber to conquer seven out of the fourteen eight-thousander mountains worldwide.
“Numerous mountaineers and adventure fans all over the world are inspired by Naila Kiani’s unwavering resolve, unmatched abilities, and unwavering attitude,” Karrar Haidri, the secretary-general of the Alpine Club of Pakistan — a non-government organization that promotes mountaineering wrote on his Facebook account.
Samina Baig – first Pakistani woman climber to summit Everest
Samina, who hails from the village of Shimshal, made history in 2014 as the first Pakistani woman to successfully summit Mount Everest. Demonstrating her remarkable determination, she once again achieved a remarkable feat last year by conquering K2 alongside her team, reaching its summit a mere three hours before Naila.
Notably, Samina holds an exceptional record as the first Pakistani, regardless of gender, to conquer seven peaks across all seven continents. Her indomitable spirit and unwavering dedication have firmly established her as a true pioneer in the world of mountaineering.
Celebration
Baig and Kiani celebrated their triumph on Nanga Parbat alongside a dedicated group of over a dozen national and international climbers. In addition to Naila and Samina, the courageous Pakistani male mountaineers who achieved this incredible feat on the same day were Rizwan Dad, Wajid Nagri, Waqar Ali, Eid Muhammad, Ahmed Baig, Saeed Karim, Shah Daulat, and Liaqat Karim. Notably, all of them accomplished this feat without the use of supplemental oxygen.
US Climber, 28 others summit the Killer Mountain
Meanwhile, 8K Expedition company reported that Chris Warner from the US, along with three Nepalese Sherpas, also reached the peak. An additional 28 mountaineers from various corners of the world triumphantly scaled the peak on Sunday, marking the largest single-day summit of Nanga Parbat to date.
The Imagine Nepal expedition team proudly announced that ten of its members successfully conquered Nanga Parbat on Sunday. Naila Kiani, Goliath from China, Tracee Lee Metcalfe from the US, Naoki Ishikawa from Japan, Sasko Kedev from North Macedonia, Dawa Sherpa, Tamting Sherpa, Dawa Gyalje Sherpa, Ngima Nuru Sherpa, Ngim Dorjee Tamang from Nepal successfully reached the summit.
