GILGIT: A local porter died at Hispar La (Pass) during a Biafo-Hispar glacier trek with a foreign team near Hispar village in Nagar, while a local team of climbers successfully retrieved the body of a porter who perished last year above 8,000 metres on K2.

The porter who died at Hispar La — Chilas resident Raheem Jan — was part of a 15-member trekking group. According to police, the group began their journey from Askoli in Shigar Valley on July 18.

The Biafo-Hispar trek, considered one of Pakistan’s top mountain adventures, is graded extremely strenuous. Trekkers must cross the Biafo Glacier, Hispar La, and Snow Lake.

The trek typically lasts 14-17 days, depending on weather and hikers’ conditions, and is completely isolated with no regular communication.

In historic mission, Naila Kiani-led team retrieves body of porter died last year on K2

The group was scheduled to reach Hispar Valley in Nagar district. Police said that after crossing Biafo Glacier, the team reached Hispar La, where Raheem Jan succumbed to altitude sickness.

Meanwhile, five local mountaineers successfully retrieved the body of a porter who lost his life last year above 8,000 meters on K2, the world’s second-highest mountain.

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The mission, organised by renowned climber Naila Kiani, involved climbers Dilawar Sadpara, Akbar Hussein Sadpara, Zakir Hussein Sadpara, Mohammed Murad Sadpara, and Ali Mohammed Sadpara from Skardu.

They retrieved the body of Mohammad Hassan Shigri from a height of 8,200 meters between the Traverse and Bottleneck sections of K2 on Saturday.

Naila Kiani said the team started their mission from Camp 3 between Saturday and Sunday. They retrieved the body on Monday and brought it to the advanced base camp by Wednesday evening. This marks the first-ever rescue mission of its kind on K2 from such an extreme altitude.

“This happens to fall on the very same day that K2 was submitted for the first time 70 years ago,” Ms Kiani said in a statement. “The team dug out the body from Bottleneck out of snow on July 29 and reached advanced basecamp at an incredible speed on Wednesday at approximately 6:30pm.”

The porter Mohammad Hassan Shigri died last year while fixing ropes for an expedition team. A viral video following his death showed climbers stepping over his body during their summit push. Ms Kiani credited the mission’s success to the heroic efforts of the high-altitude climbers, among others.

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Previous attempts to fund such expeditions were prohibitively expensive and lacked approval. By conducting this mission on a not-for-profit basis, the team reduced costs to one-third of the original estimates provided to the Gilgit-Baltistan government. However, sponsorship is still needed to support the humanitarian effort.

Ms Kiani said the rescue mission not only aimed to provide a dignified burial for Mr Hassan but also highlighted the exceptional skills and dedication of Pakistani high-altitude workers.

“It is a critical step towards addressing the gaps in mountaineering education and safety, and it sends a powerful message of the commitment to improving local standards in the industry. Gilgit-Baltistan boasts incredibly strong climbers, but the absence of internationally certified guides and high-altitude workers leads foreign climbers to bring their own guides,” she added.

Mr Hassan’s death last year sparked a debate among industry professionals about the deficiencies in the country’s mountaineering protocols compared to international standards. Reports indicated that despite his critical condition, climbers bypassed him without offering assistance.

The porter, who lacked the necessary experience and equipment, was attempting to support his family financially by undertaking the perilous task.

Published in Dawn, August 1st, 2024