PM directs to rescue mountaineer trapped on Nanga Parbat

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed the Gilgit-Baltistan government and the army to immediately rescue mountaineer Asif Bhatti, who has trapped while scaling the 8,126-metre high Nanga Parbat, also known as the Killer Mountain.

The directive came after the mountaineer’s son appealed to the prime minister on social media for the safe evacuation of his stranded father.

According to Alpine Club of Pakistan (ACP) Secretary General Karrar Haidri, “Bhatti is stuck at camp 4, at an altitude of 7,500-8,000 metres, with snow blindness”.

Bhatti, who is a university professor from Islamabad, was proceeding to the final summit of the peak when he got stuck.

Due to his snow blindness, a helicopter will be needed to pick him up and he will have to climb down to the altitude of around 6,000-6,500 metres, the ACP secretary said.

Bhatti, along with fellow mountaineers Dr Jabbar, Dr Naveed, Saad Muhammad and Faheem Pasha, departed for the expedition a few days ago. Bhatti set out the journey to summit the peak before them.

This year, many climbers have been attempting to scale Nanga Parbat, which is the ninth-highest peak in the world. 11 Pakistanis have so far climbed the mountain with climbers Naila Kiani and Samina Baig becoming the first Pakistani women to scale it earlier this month.