Pak climber becomes world's youngest mountaineer to scale K2

July 28, 2021 11:30 am | Updated 12:04 pm IST - Islamabad

The world's second largest mountain, the 8,611 meter high K2 (seen in the distance), and the 8,051 meter high Broad Peak (R), are illuminated by the moon at Concordia, the confluence of the Baltoro and Godwin-Austen glaciers, in the Karakoram mountain range in Pakistan September 7, 2014. While other parts of Pakistan and northern India were flooded, Concordia in the Karakoram mountain range was covered with a seasonally unusual amount of snow. Geographically, Pakistan is a climbers paradise. It rivals Nepal for the number of peaks over 7,000 meters and is home to the world's second tallest mountain, K2, as well as four of the world's 14 summits higher than 8,000 meters. In more peaceful times, northern Pakistan's unspoilt beauty was a major tourist draw but the potentially lucrative industry has been blighted by years of violence. The number of expeditions has dwindled, wrecking communities dependant on climbing for income and starving Pakistan's suffering economy of much-needed dollars. Picture taken September 7, 2014. REUTERS/Wolfgang Rattay    (PAKISTAN - Tags: SOCIETY ENVIRONMENT TRAVEL TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY) 



ATTENTION EDITORS - PICTURE 32 OF 32 FOR WIDER IMAGE STORY 'K2 - THE SAVAGE MOUNTAIN' 

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The world's second largest mountain, the 8,611 meter high K2 (seen in the distance), and the 8,051 meter high Broad Peak (R), are illuminated by the moon at Concordia, the confluence of the Baltoro and Godwin-Austen glaciers, in the Karakoram mountain range in Pakistan September 7, 2014. While other parts of Pakistan and northern India were flooded, Concordia in the Karakoram mountain range was covered with a seasonally unusual amount of snow. Geographically, Pakistan is a climbers paradise. It rivals Nepal for the number of peaks over 7,000 meters and is home to the world's second tallest mountain, K2, as well as four of the world's 14 summits higher than 8,000 meters. In more peaceful times, northern Pakistan's unspoilt beauty was a major tourist draw but the potentially lucrative industry has been blighted by years of violence. The number of expeditions has dwindled, wrecking communities dependant on climbing for income and starving Pakistan's suffering economy of much-needed dollars. Picture taken September 7, 2014. REUTERS/Wolfgang Rattay (PAKISTAN - Tags: SOCIETY ENVIRONMENT TRAVEL TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY) ATTENTION EDITORS - PICTURE 32 OF 32 FOR WIDER IMAGE STORY 'K2 - THE SAVAGE MOUNTAIN' SEARCH 'RATTAY K2' FOR ALL IMAGES

A 19-year old Pakistani climber on Tuesday became the youngest person in the world to reach the summit of K2, the second-highest peak in the world.

Mr. Shehroze Kashif from Lahore achieved the feat of scaling the 8,611-metre high peak with the aid of bottled oxygen.

“Good News! Received the confirmation from K2 Base Camp that Shehroze Kashif has summited K2 8611-M. It’s a new world record! Youngest in the world to stand on top of K2 8611-M at the age of 19 years. Congratulations!,” Mr. Karrar Haidri, Secretary Alpine Club of Pakistan, said in a statement.

Before Mr. Kashif, Mr. Sajid Sadpara, the son of the legendary climber Mr. Muhammad Ali Sadpara, was the youngest person to have climbed K2 at the age of 20.

Mr. Kashif also scaled the world's 12th-highest mountain, the 8,047-meter Broad Peak, at the age of 17. In May this year, he became the youngest Pakistani to scale Mount Everest.

His mother, Mrs. Nadia Kashif, in a message to the media said “Kashif is a strong and passionate climber.”

“I told his father not to be worried, and that he never disappoints,” she said.

“I was talking to him (Kashif) the other day and I asked him if he misses his home and he replied, 'I am at home'. How could you stop someone who believes that his home is where the mountains are?" she said.

Prime Minister Imran Khan congratulated the young mountaineer.

“Congratulations Pakistan!! Pakistani mountaineer Shehroz Kashif (@shehrozekashif2) has become the youngest mountaineer in the world to summit K2 - the world's second highest peak,” Mr. Khan tweeted.

The U. S. embassy also congratulated him.

“Congratulations Pakistan! @Shehrozekashif2 has set the record for being the youngest Pakistani to reach the K2 summit! What an amazing accomplishment! Congratulations Shehroze Kashif!” it tweeted.

Mr. Haidri also said that a separate group of four other Pakistani climbers from Hushe Valley reached the top of K2, also known as the Savage Mountain.

Pakistan, Nepal, and China are home to the 14 highest peaks in the world, also known as the 8,000ers. Five 8,000-metre peaks, including K2 and Nanga Parbat are in Pakistan.

Nanga Parbat and K2 are considered as the most difficult and challenging by the climbers.

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