First Pakistani Gender equality Expeditions Mt.Everest (8848m), 2013
A historical mountain climbing expedition to Mt.Everest in Pakistan`s adventure history,
On the 60th anniversary of Mt.Everest, since its first ascent back in 1953, where hundreds of thousands of mountaineers around the world celebrating this mega event of Mt.Everest, two Pakistani brother & sister carrying the green national flag to be part of this grand event. Mirza Ali & Samina Baig are the two Pakistanis participating in this great event. The expedition starts from 1st April 2013 until 3rd June 2013. The team will attempt the mountain via the south face from Nepalese side, the expedition has booked with famous M/s Seven Summit, the expedition is privately sponsored by Mirza & Samina’s Kiwi friends,younggrasshopper.com.
Mirza ali & Samina Baig are natives of shimshal valley deep in the extreme karakorum range in Upper Hunza,Mirza 29 years,has been climbing for last 12 years and works as Mountain guide,expedition leader in the Karakorum,hindukkush,Himalaya’s.
Samina Baig is a 21 year old student of Arts and the only Pakistani mountain climber girl to adopt mountaineering as a profession. She has been climbing regularly since 2010. Her goal is to empower women through adventure and outdoor sports and to encourage them to explore the mountains.
In the last three years PYO organized five mountain climbing expeditions to differentn mountains above 6000m and to Spantik 7027m, two previously unclimbed virgin peaks above 6000m and accomplished the first Pakistan women winter expedition. On Samina`s first ascent of Chashkin Sar, now called “Samina Peak”, Geomentary realized a documentary which was the first mountain climbing documentary in Pakistan`s Adventure history, followed by the promotional video of the 2011 Gender Equality Expedition to “Koh-i-Brobar“, which was another landmark of PYO for promoting ,empowering women as well as youth about adventure sports.
The aim of our Gender Equality Expedition to Mt.Everest is to promote mountain climbing sports in Pakistan as well as to encourage as well as empower female mountaineers, who could be role models for other girls to come in to mountain sports and to promote tourism and encourage domestic mountain related sports.
Second goal of the expedition is to promote tourism in Pakistan. The expedition will also attract tourism to the country after seeing the great potential despite bad political outlook, which has already declined in tourism flow over the years. Pakistan is home of five of the world´s 8000m peaks. There are nearly 7000 mountains above 6000m and countless peaks above 5000m.
There are more than six glacier ranges that stretch beyond 50km including Siachen glacier with 72km, which count to the biggest glacier systems outside of the polar range. There are hundreds of challenging passes, lush green valleys and awe inspiring lakes. Gilgit-Baltistan is home for adventure tourism where the people of the region depend on tourism.
Despite having all the great potential in the country, Pakistan has yet to bring out the first Pakistani female mountaineer who steps on the top of any 8000m peak in the world. It is surprising that Iranians, Indians, Arab and even Bangladeshi women have summitted Mt. Everest, while some of these countries even have no mountain higher than 3000m. Yet those girls brought pride to their countries.
The economical factor of mountain and outdoor sports is not to be underestimated. While Nepal receives 90% of its revenue through tourism, Pakistan`s income from tourism has declined in recent past, despite having one of the world`s largest adventure and outdoor sports potentials. Especially Gilgit-Baltistan offers a rich diversity of culture, history and its landscapes and wildlife of the Himalaya, Karakoram and Hindukush mountain ranges which is unmatched in the world. These huge mountain ranges are a paradise for trekkers, photographers, culture and wildlife observers, historians, researchers, film makers and nature lovers. Yet this big asset of Gilgit-Baltistan and with it, its economical potential, needs to be developed efficiently.
This unique Pakistani Gender Equality Expedition 2013 gains a lot of attraction among the international adventure community and this will reflect on tourism in Gilgit-Baltistan as well. This is one step to tap the full potential of Pakistan´s outdoor tourism industry, from which every sector in this region could benefit. This will alsoencourage domestic tourism and women adventure.
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