Pakistani climbers retrieve body of porter from K2 bottleneck after a year

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Updated 03 August 2024
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Pakistani climbers retrieve body of porter from K2 bottleneck after a year

Pakistani climbers retrieve body of porter from K2 bottleneck after a year
  • In July 2023, a disturbing footage showed Norwegian climber Kristin Harila and her Nepali guide walking past injured Hassan Shigri on K2
  • The disturbing footage, which made global headlines, showed the climbers stepping over the body of Shigri, who later died during her ascent

ISLAMABAD: A team of Pakistani climbers, led by Naila Kiani, this week recovered the body of a Pakistani porter from K2 bottleneck, a leading Pakistani mountaineering club said on Saturday, a year after his tragic death that grabbed international headlines.

On July 27, 2023, a disturbing drone footage went viral on social media, showing Norwegian climber Kristin Harila and her Nepali guide Tenjin Sherpa walk past injured Hassan Shigri on K2, the world’s second highest peak, instead of stopping and helping him.

Harila and her guide were on their way to become the world’s fastest climbers by scaling all the 14 highest peaks above 8,000 meters in 92 days. The footage was taken by two other climbers, Austrian Wilhelm Steindl and Philip Flaemig from Germany, whose ascent had been canceled that day owing to bad weather.

The disturbing footage showed the climbers stepping over the body of Shigri, who later died during Harila’s ascent. The 38-year-old Norwegian climber later rejected the accusation of deliberately ignoring Shigri and contended she and her team “did everything we could for him at the time.”

Kiani, a UAE-based Pakistani climber, led a mission to recover Shigri’s body with the help of a team of high-altitude climbers on an emotional appeal made by the family of the late Pakistani porter.

“A historic milestone has been achieved. A team of dedicated high-altitude porters (HAPs) successfully retrieved the body of Muhammad Hassan Shigri from the Bottleneck of K2 at an incredible 8,200 meters, safely reaching advance basecamp,” the Alpine Club of Pakistan, which arranges expeditions on various Pakistani peaks, said in a statement.

“This unprecedented rescue, the first of its kind on K2 from such a high altitude, concluded on 31st July at approximately 6:30 pm.”

Kiani utilized her ongoing clean-up project at K2 to swiftly organize the humanitarian mission and the team executed the critical operation by using existing infrastructure and a favorable weather window.

Kiani, the first Pakistani woman and the third Pakistani overall to climb 11 of the world’s 14 highest peaks above 8,000 meters, is part of the Climb2Change initiative by Mashreq, a leading financial institution in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, which aims to clean up 14 of the world’s mightiest mountains, reaching seven peaks and base camps of the remaining seven mountains.

Members of the team that retrieved Shigri’s body included Dilawar Sadpara, Akbar Hussein Sadpara, Zakir Hussein Sadpara, Mohammed Murad Sadpara and Ali Mohammed Sadpara.

Shigri’s tragic death highlighted an urgent need for better training, equipment and ethical standards in mountaineering. The mission not only aimed to provide a dignified burial to Shigri but also showcased exceptional skills and dedication of Pakistani high-altitude climbers, underscoring the need for improved mountaineering education and safety protocols.

After being brought to the advance base camp on July 31, Shigri’s body was airlifted by a Pakistan Army chopper to Dassu, close to his village of Tissar in the Shigar district of Pakistan’s Gilgit-Baltistan region and handed over to his family on Thursday.

“I extend my heartfelt appreciation to Naila Kiani and her incredible team of mountaineers. Their bravery, dedication, and humanitarian spirit in the face of extreme challenges embody the true essence of mountaineering,” Karrar Haidri, secretary of the Alpine Club of Pakistan, said in a statement.

“This historic rescue mission on the 70th anniversary of K2’s first ascent not only honors the memory of Muhammad Hassan Shigri but also sets a new standard for ethical and responsible climbing. We are immensely proud of their achievements and commitment to improving mountaineering standards in Pakistan.”

K2 was first summited on July 31, 1954 by Italian climbers Lino Lacedelli and Achille Compagnoni. The expedition was led by Ardito Desio and included Pakistani army colonel Muhammad Ataullah, Hunza porter Amir Mehdi and prominent climber Walter Bonatti.

Pakistan is home to five of the world’s tallest mountains that loom above 8,000 meters, including K2 and Nanga Parbat that are known for their treacherous climbs.

According to official figures, over 8,900 foreigners visited the remote Gilgit-Baltistan region in 2023 where the summer climbing season runs from early June till late August.


At least five arrested as Pakistan widens crackdown on illegal currency exchange, transfers

At least five arrested as Pakistan widens crackdown on illegal currency exchange, transfers
Updated 27 July 2025
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At least five arrested as Pakistan widens crackdown on illegal currency exchange, transfers

At least five arrested as Pakistan widens crackdown on illegal currency exchange, transfers
  • The development comes days after a senior ISI official met exchange company representatives, amid concern over rupee’s depreciation
  • Pakistan operates a multi-tiered currency market, with rates diverging between official interbank channel, open market and ‘grey market’

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has arrested five suspects involved in illegal currency exchange and transfer of money, the agency said on Sunday, amid a widening crackdown on black market currency traders.

The development comes days after the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Pakistan’s powerful military-run spy agency, held a meeting in Islamabad with senior officials from currency exchange companies, amid growing concern over the rupee’s depreciation, which fell to a 22-month low of Rs284.97 against the US dollar earlier this week.

Maj. Gen. Faisal Naseer, a deputy chief of the ISI, chaired the session, according to Malik Bostan, who attended the discussion and is the chairman of the Exchange Companies Association of Pakistan (ECAP), told Arab News. The FIA had begun raiding informal, unregulated money transfer, or ‘hundi’ and ‘hawala,’ operators and currency smuggling networks.

In a statement on Sunday, the agency said it was tightening the noose around networks involved currency smuggling and had conducted major operations in the southwestern Balochistan province that border Iran and Afghanistan.

“Five suspects involved in hawala, hundi and illegal currency exchange have been arrested,” the FIA said in a statement. “The suspects were arrested in raids in different areas of Quetta and Chaman.”

Pakistan operates a multi-tiered currency market, with rates diverging between the official interbank channel, the open market, and an unregulated “grey market” where many traders and informal hawala dealers operate.

Burdened by over $58 billion in imports in the last fiscal year, Pakistan faces severe inflationary pressure whenever the dollar strengthens. The rupee has lost 2 percent of its value since January, despite Pakistan’s current account recording a surplus of $2.1 billion, according to central bank data.

During the raids in Balochistan, the FIA said, officials seized 684,000 Pakistani rupees, 230.5 million Iranian rials, more than 135,000 Afghanis, 700 US dollars, 200 Saudi riyals and 150 Australian dollars.

“Cheque books, hawala-hundi receipts and bank deposit slips were also recovered from the suspects,” it said.

“The accused were involved in currency exchange without a license. They could not give a satisfactory answer to the authorities regarding the recovered currency.”

The agency said it was further investigating the arrested suspects.


Pakistan to launch new remote-sensing satellite to monitor resources, boost disaster management

Pakistan to launch new remote-sensing satellite to monitor resources, boost disaster management
Updated 27 July 2025
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Pakistan to launch new remote-sensing satellite to monitor resources, boost disaster management

Pakistan to launch new remote-sensing satellite to monitor resources, boost disaster management
  • The launch will mark a major milestone in Pakistan’s space program, significantly enhancing its Earth observation capabilities
  • In addition, the satellite will support national development initiatives by mapping transportation networks, identifying geo-hazards

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will be launching another remote-sensing satellite from a Chinese launch center next week to monitor resources and boost disaster management efforts, its space research commission SUPARCO announced on Sunday.

The launch of the satellite will mark a major milestone in Pakistan’s space program, significantly enhancing its Earth observation capabilities. It will support a wide range of national applications, including precision agriculture to boost crop yields, monitoring infrastructure growth and urban sprawl, and enabling regional planning, according to SUPARCO.

The satellite will strengthen disaster management efforts by providing timely warnings for floods, landslides, and earthquakes, while tracking glacier recession and deforestation. In addition, it will support national development initiatives by mapping transportation networks and identifying geo-hazard risks.

"The launch of this remote sensing satellite, along with its integration into Pakistan’s existing remote sensing fleet — including PRSS-1 (launched in July 2018) and EO-1 (launched in January 2025) — will further strengthen the country’s space-based infrastructure, aligning with the National Space Policy and SUPARCO’s Vision 2047, aiming to position our nation at the forefront of space technology and innovation," SUPARCO said in a statement.

The satellite, whose data acquisition capabilities under various environmental conditions make it a vital asset for environmental monitoring and resource management, will be launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center (XSLC), China on July 31.

Pakistan has taken strides in its space research program in recent years months.

In January this year, China launched Pakistan’s indigenously developed Electro-Optical (EO-1) satellite into space from its Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, aiming to predict natural disasters and monitor resources, Chinese and Pakistani state media reported.

In Nov. last year, SUPARCO announced its rover will join China’s Chang’E 8 mission to explore the moon’s surface in 2028. Prior to that in May 2024, Pakistan launched its first lunar satellite aboard China’s Chang’e-6 probe, which was tasked with landing on the far side of the moon that perpetually faces away from the Earth. China was the first country to make such an ambitious attempt.


Authorities seize 1,000 kilograms of donkey meat in Islamabad, arrest ‘foreign national’

Authorities seize 1,000 kilograms of donkey meat in Islamabad, arrest ‘foreign national’
Updated 27 July 2025
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Authorities seize 1,000 kilograms of donkey meat in Islamabad, arrest ‘foreign national’

Authorities seize 1,000 kilograms of donkey meat in Islamabad, arrest ‘foreign national’
  • The seizure was made during a raid at a farmhouse in Islamabad’s Tarnol area, with authorities recovering 50 live donkeys as well
  • Official says the meat had been packed for ‘export to a neighboring country,’ more raids to be conducted to trace local facilitators

ISLAMABAD: Local administration in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad has seized around 1,000 kilograms of donkey meat from an illegal slaughterhouse and arrested a “foreign national,” officials said on Sunday.

The seizure was made during a joint raid by the Islamabad Food Authority (IFA), local police and the Islamabad district administration on a farmhouse in Tarnol area, according to the IFA.

Fifty live donkeys were also recovered from the site and an IFA team was destroying the meat under the supervision of Deputy Director Dr. Tahira Siddique.

Police have lodged a case against the arrested foreign national, who had been running the operation, and are looking for his local facilitators.

“A foreign national was arrested at the site which has been sealed and an investigation is underway,” Muhammad Nasir Butt, a spokesperson for the Islamabad district administration, told Arab News.

“We will conduct further raids as per the findings of the investigation and efforts are also underway to trace local individuals involved.”

Butt said the meat had been packed for “export to a neighboring country.”

“So far, we have not found any traces of meat being used in the local restaurants, but administration is investigating the matter from multiple angles,” he added.

According to a police report seen by Arab News, the farmhouse had no authorization to process donkey meat or export live donkeys.

“Due to the absence of records for [processing] haram meat, and on the basis of its supply and sale, legal action shall be taken against concerned individuals under Sections 11, 12, 13, and 14 of the Islamabad Capital Territory Food Safety Act, 2021,” the report said.

Pakistan is frequently listed among countries with the highest number of donkey populations worldwide. The country’s donkey population rose to 6 million in fiscal year 2024-25, which ended in June, compared to 5.9 million in 2023–24, according to the latest economic survey.

In May this year, Pakistan Customs had foiled an attempt to smuggle donkey hides worth approximately Rs80 million (around $283,800) to China. The staff deployed on the Risk Management Profiling System of the Karachi Customs

Collectorate detected a container number SEGU-3154225 cleared from the South Asia Pakistan Port (SAPT) terminal in Karachi, whose export documents showed 285 packages of leather products were being sent to China.

The animal’s meat and hides are quite popular in China. Gelatin derived from donkey hides is highly sought after in China for its use in Ejiao, a traditional medicinal remedy. Several Chinese eateries sell donkey meat and burgers for consumption.

Dr. Siddique, who was part of the team that raided the farmhouse, said the availability of safe and quality food in Islamabad was the top priority of the IFA.

“We are enforcing a zero-tolerance policy against those who endanger public health,” she was quoted as saying by the IFA.


Eight killed, 18 injured as passenger bus meets accident in eastern Pakistan

Eight killed, 18 injured as passenger bus meets accident in eastern Pakistan
Updated 27 July 2025
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Eight killed, 18 injured as passenger bus meets accident in eastern Pakistan

Eight killed, 18 injured as passenger bus meets accident in eastern Pakistan
  • Bus heading from Lahore to Islamabad falls in ditch in Chakwal, local media reports say
  • Fatal road accidents are common in Pakistan, where traffic rules are rarely followed 

ISLAMABAD: Eight people were killed while 18 others were injured after a passenger bus met with an accident in Pakistan’s eastern Punjab province on Sunday, state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported. 

As per local media reports, the passenger bus was heading to the eastern city of Lahore from Pakistan’s capital Islamabad, when one of its tires burst near the Balkassar Interchange on the Islamabad-Lahore Motorway (M2).

Pakistani English language newspaper Dawn reported that the tire burst caused the driver to lose control of the vehicle, due to which it fell into a ditch and overturned.

“Eight people were killed while eighteen others injured in a passenger bus accident in the area of Balkassar in Chakwal today,” Radio Pakistan reported.

“According to Rescue 1122, ambulances and rescue vehicles promptly reached the site of the incident.”

The state-run media said that the injured were shifted to a nearby hospital for medical treatment.

Fatal road accidents are common in Pakistan, where traffic rules are rarely followed and roads as well as a majority of vehicles are in poor condition.

Pakistan motorway police frequently warns masses on its social media platforms against violating traffic regulations and overspeeding.


Pakistan suspends road travel to Iran, Iraq citing security concerns

Pakistan suspends road travel to Iran, Iraq citing security concerns
Updated 27 July 2025
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Pakistan suspends road travel to Iran, Iraq citing security concerns

Pakistan suspends road travel to Iran, Iraq citing security concerns
  • Travelers will still be allowed to visit Iran and Iraq by air, says interior minister.
  • Decision comes in wake of rise in militant attacks in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province 

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi announced on Sunday that the government will not allow pilgrims to travel to Iran and Iraq by road for the Arbaeen pilgrimage this year, citing public safety and national security concerns for the ban. 

Thousands of Pakistani citizens visit Iran and Iraq annually for religious tourism and to visit religious sites, including observing Arbaeen (Arabic for “forty”), a significant religious occasion in Shia Islam. It marks the end of a 40-day mourning period for Imam Hussain, who was “martyred” in the Battle of Karbala in 680 AD.

Travelers to Iran and Iraq by road have often been targeted in sectarian attacks by armed groups in Pakistan’s restive southwestern Balochistan province, which shares a border with Iran.

Islamabad’s decision comes in the wake of a rise in militant attacks in the province by ethnic Baloch militant groups, who demand a greater share of the province’s mineral resources from Islamabad.

“After extensive consultations with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Balochistan Government, and security agencies, it has been decided that Zaireen will not be allowed to travel to Iraq and Iran by road for Arbaeen this year,” Naqvi wrote on X. 

The interior minister said this “difficult decision” was taken in the interest of public safety and national security.

However, he said Shia pilgrims will be allowed to travel by air to Iran and Iraq.

“Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has directed authorities to arrange maximum flights to facilitate their pilgrimage in the coming days,” he wrote. 

A Pakistani immigration official told Arab News earlier this month that Islamabad plans to overhaul its pilgrimage travel policy to Iraq, Iran and Syria after authorities confirmed around 40,000 Pakistani pilgrims went missing or overstayed in the three countries over the past decade. 

Pakistan’s Religious Affairs Minister Sardar Muhammad Yousaf revealed this month that 40,000 Pakistani pilgrims had either overstayed or gone missing in these countries without any official record of their whereabouts.

In response, Pakistani authorities have scrapped the long-standing “Salar system,” in which private group leaders managed travel logistics, and are introducing a new centralized, computerized structure to track and regulate pilgrim movement more effectively.

Mustafa Jamal Kazi, Pakistan’s director general of Immigration and Passports, said a new Ziyarat Management Policy has been finalized by the government under which pilgrims will only be allowed to travel in organized groups, and licensed tour operators will be held directly responsible for ensuring that all group members return to Pakistan before their visas expire.

Any operator found violating the policy or failing to ensure the return of all pilgrims will have their license canceled.