Italy, Pakistan women climbers reach K2 base camp

Celina Ali

Islamabad: The Italy-Pakistan K2 Jubilee Expedition team, which consists of women from both countries, has kicked off its campaign from the K2 base camp.

After reaching the K2 base camp, the expedition team raised the flags of Pakistan, Italy, and the Olympics and recited Pakistan’s national anthem as they were hoisting the flags.

While speaking about the team’s remarkable feat to Geo News, Italian mountaineer Agostino da Polenza hailed the women climbers for their “good spirits.”

The expedition team is being led by Samina Baig, who is the first Pakistani woman to summit K2, and it consists of four Pakistani and four Italian women climbers, who also underwent fitness tests in Italy.

“After selection, we [underwent] all sorts of tests — mentally, physically, emotionally,” Pakistani climber Nadeema Sehar said.

The ongoing year marks the 70th anniversary of the first successful summit and this special expedition is being carried out to commemorate the historic feat.

Italian adventurers already have several records to their name in mountaineering. However, on July 31, 1954, they summited the 8,611-metre-high K2, the world’s second-longest peak, for the first time in the world.

“It is a matter of great happiness for me that I am a part of this expedition and leading this expedition which is very important. I am especially happy that Pakistani women are a part of this as K2 is a dream of every climber,” said Samina on Monday.