Mountaineers Abdul Jabbar Bhatti and Saad Mahmoud are prepared to depart from Islamabad for Nepal on Wednesday with the mission to plant the Pakistani flag on the world's highest peak, Mount Everest.

A ceremony was organised in their honour on Sunday by an Islamabad-based group of adventurists, Bikers and Hikers.

At the event, the mountaineers spoke of their ambition to project Pakistan in a positive light on the global stage.

Bhatti, a retired lieutenant colonel of Pakistan Army, said he was financing the Rs5-million trip partially from his own pocket and partially with the help of a private donor.

The expedition, he said, would hopefully be completed in two months.

Bhatti, an accomplished mountaineer, is a past recipient of the President's Pride of Performance award and the Tamgha-e-Basalat (Medal of Good Conduct) by the Pakistani government.

He has successfully summitted Broad Peak (8,051 metres high) in 1985; Gasherbrum 2 (8,035m) in 1986 and Spantik Peak (7,027m) in 2012.

Mount Everest, which stands 8,848m (29,029 feet) high above sea level has not been climbed by many Pakistanis before.

Renowned mountaineer Hassan Sadpara was the only Pakistani to have climbed six of the world's tallest mountains including Mt Everest (8848m), K2 (8611m), Gasherbrum I (8080m), Gasherbrum II (8034m), Nanga Parbat (8126 m) and Broad Peak (8051m).

Other than him, Samina Baig, who climbed Mount Everest in 2013, and Nazir Sabir, who scaled the peak in 2000, lay claim to the honour of scaling Mt Everest.

Opinion

Editorial

Disregarding CCI
Updated 04 Nov, 2024

Disregarding CCI

The failure to regularly convene CCI meetings means that the process of democratic decision-making is falling apart.
Defeating TB
04 Nov, 2024

Defeating TB

CONSIDERING the fact that Pakistan has the fifth highest burden of tuberculosis in the world as per the World Health...
Ceasefire charade
Updated 04 Nov, 2024

Ceasefire charade

The US talks of peace, while simultaneously arming and funding their Israeli allies, are doomed to fail, and are little more than a charade.
Concerning measures
Updated 03 Nov, 2024

Concerning measures

The govt must seek political input and consensus on the changes it is seeking to make and be open about its intentions.
Short-lived relief?
03 Nov, 2024

Short-lived relief?

POLICYMAKERS must be jumping with joy. At the close of the first quarter of FY25, the budget posted a consolidated...
Brisk spread
03 Nov, 2024

Brisk spread

THE surge in polio cases has reached distressing levels with a tally of 45 last reported, after two cases emerged in...