Komal Uzair scales Spantik peak in Gilgit Baltistan

• Young mountaineer dedicates her achievement to daring women of Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Mountaineer Komal Uzair has become the second Pakistani woman to scale the Spantik peak in Nagar Valley of Gilgit Baltistan, a private TV channel reported on Sunday.

Komal was accompanied by her brother Shayan Anwer during the expedition. They also wore an Ajrak at the summit as they are the first siblings from Sindh to summit Spantik peak. Komal said that she along with her brother completed their summit on the morning of August 6 at 9:46am.

“It wasn’t an easy expedition for us as just before we were ascending, the weather got worse and we had to stay in base camp for five days,” Komal said. Spantik is also known as the Golden Peak and is in Spantik-Sosbun Mountains, a subrange of the Karakoram in Nagar Valley of Gilgit Baltistan.

Its northwest face features an exceptionally hard climbing route known as the Golden Pillar. It lies east of Diran and northeast of Malubiting. Komal is the second Pakistani woman to scale Spantik after Uzma Yousuf who had completed the summit on August 2, 2017.

Komal said that she’s proud of her achievement and her success was a success of every woman who wants to achieve something in life. “I’m very proud and excited that we reached the summit despite difficulties and escaping from rock falling,” she said.

“My inspiration has always been Samina Baig, a Pakistani high-altitude mountaineer who in 2013 climbed Mount Everest and then all seven summits by 2014. Uzma is also an example. If one woman can do then there is no reason why other women can do this,” she said.

Shayan, who was with his sister during the expedition, said that he’s proud of his sister’s achievements. “I’m really proud of my sister,” he said and shared that after climbing 7,000m peak, they were now aiming to reach 8,000m in the next attempt.