Pakistan has a unique mountain landscape, where the Himalayas, Karakoram, and Hindu Kush ranges converge and have different characteristics.

It is home to five of the 14 peaks higher than 8,000 metres, collectively called the eight-thousanders, including two of the most beautiful mountains in the world: K2 and Nanga Parbat.

Compared to the sea level, the partial pressure of oxygen in the air, reflecting the oxygen concentration, is around half at 5,000m and only a third above 8,000m, where the oxygen pressure is so low that the human body cannot adjust anymore. Hence, it marks the start of the death zone. Without pressurised oxygen, cells die, and the organ systems slow down. Cerebral and pulmonary oedema are only a matter of time as the body struggles to find oxygen by increasing blood circulation, which is already thicker with more red blood cells at that altitude.

Last month, Sirbaz Khan became the first Pakistani to summit all 14 eight-thousanders. A few days later, Shehroze Kashif completed his 14 at the young age of 22. These are tremendous personal achievements that deserve a celebration. It takes tremendous physical and mental strength and grit to summit an eight-thousander.

An expedition to climb an eight-thousander is usually many weeks long. There are days-long hikes to reach the base camp at around 5,000m. From there, members make day trips to the higher camps and return to the lower camps, helping the body acclimatise to lower oxygen levels. The high-altitude porters carry the equipment, tents, gear, fuel, and food to the higher camps in these rotations.

Pakistani high-altitude porters remain invisible. Expedition companies mostly hire Nepalese sherpas, even for the mountains in Pakistan.

Climbing expeditions depend on high-altitude porters. Above the base camp, all the way to the death zone, where life is not meant to exist, these porters lead the climbing, make routes, fix an­­ch­ors and ropes, carry equipment and supplies, pit­ch tents, cook food, and care for the people paying to climb the mountains. Some hardcore climbers still climb in alpine style without the help of porters or oxygen, but they are few in number. Most climbers today join commercial expeditions.

Commercial mountaineering has changed the sport over the past few decades. Mountaineering used to be a sport of elite athletes carrying national flags in a race to be the first to conquer a mountain and its different routes. Commercial mountaineering started with Mount Denali in the US, where enthusiastic amateurs were taken to the summit. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, many trained Russian climbers became available as mountain guides, and the industry took off. Today, mountaineering is a commercial industry. Expedition management companies offer a range of options, services and luxuries, including personal high-altitude porters.

For decades, sherpas and high-altitude porters climbed anonymously with poor wages. They were often restricted to the last camp before the summit and not allowed to the summit. The Western expeditions wanted to keep the glory private. The Nepalese climbing community has changed the status of the sherpas and started managing the expeditions themselves, ensuring that sherpas are paid well and recognised for their achievements.

Pakistani high-altitude porters remain invisible, and the industry is still nascent. Expedition companies mostly hire Nepalese sherpas, even for the mountains in Pakistan. The sherpas do the rope-fixing and lead climbing, and Pakistani porters are used to carry the loads. Local companies offer management services only for the base camps. The sherpas are paid over $10,000 on a mountain in Pakistan, whereas the local high-altitude porter will only be paid $1,000 for a six-week expedition. Local porters are given poorer life and health insurance than the sherpas. For example, the life insurance for a local high-altitude porter is only $1,500, a tenth of a sherpa’s.

The image of Western climbers hopping over the dying Hassan Shigri on the bottleneck at K2 in 2023 was tragic in many ways. It depicted the value rendered to the life of a local porter. Over 70 years ago, in 1952, Amir Mehdi was to be the first Pakistani to climb K2. In a story of treachery, he was forced to bivouac (spend the night without shelter) at 8,100m altitude on K2 in his leather shoes. This year, Ser Muhammad lost his life at the base of K2 as there was no rescue arrangement for him. There are numerous other stories of deaths and apathy among lost memories. Every year adds more stories.

Despite lacking training and opportunities, many Pakistani climbers, like Ali Sadpara, Ashraf Aman, Fazal Ali, Nazir Sabir, and Rajab Shah, ach­­­ieved great personal success. Many started as porters with international expeditions. Sirbaz Khan also started as a cook and porter, and it was an extraordinary journey for him to climb all the eight-thousanders.

Mountaineering is an extreme sport, and commercial companies are responsible for their clients’ safety and success. Mountain guides and porters need technical skills to lead the climb and safely supervise clients. In Skardu, my friend Zahid Rajput, a certified trainer, manages a non-profit organisation, Khurpa Care Pakistan. This organisation advocates for the well-being of porters and provides voluntary technical training to high-altitude porters.

However, private initiatives are inadequate without government support in porters’ training, certification, and skills development. The government’s mountain tourism policy should address aspects related to the environment, sustainability, and safety. The government should also establish mountaineering schools in Skardu and Hunza for training in technical climbing, gear maintenance, safety, rescue, and essential language skills. Private companies should be allowed to offer mountain helicopter rescue and transport services, a requirement for the sector’s growth.

Death walks with those who tread above the clouds in these majestic natural wonders. It has become easier for amateurs to venture there, but the porters pay the cost, sometimes with their lives.

The writer is a mountain enthusiast.

Published in Dawn, November 18th, 2024