Dubai-based banker Naila Kiani becomes first Pakistani woman to summit Nepal’s Annapurna peak
- 17 Apr 2023
Mian Mujahid Shah, Gulf Today
Mountaineer Naila Kiani on Monday became the first Pakistani woman to climb Mount Annapurna 1 (8,091 metres) — the world's 10th highest mountain, situated in Gandaki province in Nepal.
She was accompanied by climber Shehroze Kashif — who has attained the title of being the youngest Pakistani mountaineer to ascend the peak — and Nepalese sherpas.
According to a tweet by Everest Today, Kiani achieved this feat earlier this morning.
In August last year, Naila became the first Pakistani woman to summit three peaks above 8,000 metres.
"Shehroze and Naila and other members of the Seven Summit Treks team have successfully ascended Annapurna this morning between 6:30 to 7:30 am,” Karrar Haidri, secretary of Alpine Club of Pakistan told APP.
"Shehroze has now become the youngest mountaineer in the world to summit 11 peaks above 8,000 meters, while Naila has become the first Pakistani woman to climb Annapurna.
"Naila is also now the first Pakistani woman climber to summit four peaks above 8,000-metre,” he added.
Naila, a mother of two is a Dubai-based Pakistani banker and an amateur boxer. She rose to prominence after images of her wedding shoot at K2 basecamp in 2018 circulated on social media.
She summited Gasherbrum-II (8,035m), in 2021, and Gasherbrum-I (8,068m) and K2 (8,611), the world’s second-highest mountain in July 2022. She climbed K2 shortly after Samina Baig’s feat, who is the first Pakistani woman to do so.
Earlier, on Saturday, Sajid Ali Sadpara successfully ascended Annapurna without oxygen. "That is his fourth 8,000’er summit, all of them climbed without oxygen,” Haidri said.
"It is heartening to see Pakistani climbers setting new records in mountaineering,” he added.
According to Haidri, the three Pakistani climbers were initially together at the base camp. However, Naila and Shehroze, who were climbing with supplemental oxygen, chose a different schedule to attempt the peak.