GILGIT: Pakistani climber Shehroze Kashif completed his remarkable journey of scaling all 14 of the world’s 8,000-metre peaks with the successful summit of Shishapangma (8,027m) in Tibet, China, on Wednesday.

Separately, an 18-year-old Nepali mountaineer broke the record for the youngest person to summit all 14 of the world’s 8,000m peaks, according to his team.

Karrar Haidri, secretary of the Alpine Club of Pakistan, said Shehroze’s Shishapangma achievement made him the youngest Pakistani to conquer these formidable summits. “Once again, Shehroze has proudly raised the Pakistani flag on one of the world’s highest peaks, marking a historic moment for him and the nation,” he said.

In a post on Shehroze’s official Facebook page, he said: “Today, I stand on the summit of Shisha­pangma, completing my journey of conquering all 14 of the world’s 8000m peaks — becoming the youngest Pakistani to achieve this feat. Words can’t capture the emotions I feel at this moment.

Nepali becomes world’s youngest climber to stand on the highest peaks

“...This isn’t just a personal victory; it’s a victory for Pakistan. The Green Flag flies on the highest peaks in the world, proving that no dream is too big for those who believe and are willing to fight for it.”

Shehroze Kashif’s mountaineering journey began at the age of 11. By the age of 19, he had already made history by becoming the youngest Pakistani to scale Mount Everest (8,849m) on May 11, 2021, followed by setting another world record as the youngest climber to conquer K2 on July 27, 2021.

His relentless pursuit continued in 2022 when, on May 5, he became the first Pakistani to reach the summit of Kangchenjunga (8,586m), and just 11 days later, on May 16, he stood atop Mount Lhotse (8,516m), the fourth-highest peak in the world. August 2022 saw him add two more impressive feats, conquering Gasherbrum-II (8,035m) and Gasherbrum-I (8,080m), the latter being the 11th highest mountain.

Prior to this, in July 2022, he successfully summited Nanga Parbat. In 2023, Kashif continued his ascent by reaching the top of Cho Oyu, the sixth-highest peak in the world at 8,201m, further solidifying his legacy as one of the most accomplished young Pakistani climbers.

Youngest climber

Nima Rinji Sherpa, the 18-year-old Nepali mountaineer, reached the summit of Shishapangma on Wednesday morning, completing his mission to stand on the world’s highest peaks, AFP adds.

The record was previously held by another Nepali climber, Min­gma Gyabu ‘David’ Sherpa. He achieved it in 2019, at the age of 30.

“He reached the summit this morning. He had trained well and I was confident he would do it,” Rinji’s father Tashi Sherpa said.

Nima Rinji Sherpa, who holds multiple records from his ascents of dozens of peaks, started high-altitude climbing at the age of 16, by climbing Mount Manaslu in August 2022. By June, he had climbed his 13th mountain, Kanc­h­enjunga, the world’s third highest.

Published in Dawn, October 10th, 2024