4 women from GB successfully summit Spantik

Gilgit-Baltistan's four mountain climbing women, Shama Baqir and Samana Rahim from Shimshal Valley, Zooni Aslam from Gulmit Valley, and Zaiba Batool Shigri from Shigar district, along with Romanian climber Alexandra Visan and Punjab's Ayyan Adeel, achieved a remarkable feat by successfully reaching the summit of 7,027-meter Spantik Peak without relying on high-altitude porters.

The Alpine Club of Pakistan announced that the group successfully returned to Skardu on Monday. However, Bismah Hassan of Lahore had to retreat approximately 250 meters below the peak due to health concerns. Bad weather thwarted rescue attempts to bring the bodies of Dr Asma Mushtaq and American climber Sarah Mallory Geis back to Skardu, as Dr Mushtaq tragically passed away while descending from the mountain.

Bad weather conditions have been posing challenges for the rescue and recovery operations. The expedition's organizer, Broad Boy Adventures, a venture owned by Pakistani mountaineer Shehroze Kashif, featured Visan who battled cancer, but she too managed to reach the summit and descent safely. She described her climb as a story of perseverance, highlighting that some climbs are about finding the strength to continue when life itself becomes the mountain.

Despite the inspiring achievement, the team encountered difficulties in retrieving Dr Mushtaq's body due to the worsening weather conditions. The Pakistan Army helicopters are expected to airlift the body to Skardu once weather improves on Tuesday.