Merry Christmas 2013

Three expeditions to attempt Nanga Parbat this winter

ISLAMABAD, Nov 20: Undeterred by its reputation of killer mountain and the unfortunate death of climbers in late June, expeditions were returning to capture Nanga Parbat this winter.

All three expeditions from Poland, Italy and Germany had got permission to climb the world’s ninth highest peak from the western end of the Himalayan Range ending in Pakistan.

Simone Moro, a respected name among the mountaineers, is leading the Italian expedition. He is known for his first ever winter ascents of three of the eight thousanders (peak above eight thousand metres), the Shisha Pangma in China in 2005, Makalu, on the border of Nepal and China in 2009 and then the Gasherbrum II in Pakistan in 2011.

German climber Ralf Dujmovits who is also attempting the Nanga Parbat this winter was also arriving into Pakistan with the Italians and the Poles in December.

In 2009, he became the 16th person in the world to have captured the peaks of all the 14 eight thousand plus mountains in the world. His wife Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner, an Austrian mountaineer, became the second woman to climb the fourteen eight thousanders in 2011, and the first woman to do so without the use of supplementary oxygen or high altitude porters.

Member Executive Council, Alpine Federation of Pakistan, Karrar Haidri explained how Nanga Parbat was always more attractive for mountaineers than the other four eight thousand plus peaks.

“Since Nanga Parbat is situated in the open zone, far from the border, the climbers cannot hire a liaison officer from the armed forces. This saves the expeditions some $3, 000 to $3, 500,” said the official explaining how accessing the mountain was also the easiest, compared with the other four days hike from the road to its base camp.

Karrar Haidri elaborated on how the government reduced the royalty fees by five per cent in the winter from December to February only against the $7, 000 from a seven-member team in the summers.

Five expeditions attempted to summit the eight thousanders in the last winter December-February 2012-2013.

Although the Poles were successful by becoming the first ever climbers to win Broad Peak in March 2013, only two climbers returned safely to base camp to tell their story. The other two died above the 7, 000 meters death zone. The body of one of the climbers was recovered later in the summer. The other was believed to have fallen in a crevasse.

Nonetheless, the AFP has proposed to the Gilgit-Baltistan Council to wave off fees for all climbers whose attempts to Nanga Parbat were abruptly cancelled after the ten mountaineers were killed at its base camp in June, 2013.

“It is a fair thing to offer to the climbers who had to go through a difficult experience. The AFP will propose this at the GB Council meeting when it meets next week,” said Karrar Haidri.

Read more on Dawn News: http://www.dawn.com/news/1057491/three-expeditions-to-attempt-nanga-parbat-this-winter

China - Pak border closed for the winter season

The Pakistan – China border at the Khunzhrav National Park (misspelled in official documents as Khunjerab) has been closed for traffic. As part of the 1985 border protocol, the road remains closed for almost five months during the severe winter. The road remains inaccessible and unusable due to several feet of snowfall during the winter season every year.

The road will reopen in the month of April for trade and traffic. The Pakistani traders in various cities of Xinjiang province have been asked to return by the 3rd of December, 2013.

Road trade between the two countries has diminished drastically due to closure of the strategic Karakoram Highway, near Attabad village, in upper Hunza Valley, since January 4, 2010. (Pamir Times)

Beautiful Hunza valley!

Massacre near Nanga Parbat: PATO demands arrest of terrorists behind tourist killing

Islamabad: The terrorist attack near West Face of the Nanga Parbat mountain is a conspiracy aimed at destabilization of Pakistan’s economy. If the government and law enforcing agencies act fast the terrorists behind the massacre can easily be arrested, because it would take anyone at least 18 hours to get out of the region. Around 250,000 people’s lives in Gilgit-Baltistan will be affected directly if the tourism industry cripples.

These views were expressed by Amjad Ayub, President of Pakistan Association of Tour Operators (PATO), at a hurriedly called press conference here in Islamabad. Also present at the press conference were Ashraf Aman, Ghulam Nabi Raikoti, Karar Haideri and representatives of other tour operating agencies.

Responding to a question, Ayub said that enemies of Pakistan, who are “well-known”, are behind the incident, without giving any names. However, he said that it is highly unlikely for any local to be behind the massacre, “because their lives depend on tourism”, he said. He further added that access to the terrorist hit region is very difficult and the passes through which people can move in our out of the area cannot be crossed by ordinary people.

He also rejected the impression created by a segment of the media that the terrorist attack took place in Fairy Meadows.

Terrorists last night killed 9 foreigners and one Pakistani at a camp established near the Base Camp of the West Face of Nangar Parbat, also known as Diamer Face.

It was also decided that a candle-light vigil will be held tomorrow in front of the national press club in Islamabad to express solidarity with families of the murdered tourists.

For more information please visit Pamir Times official page www.pamirtimes.net 

Massacre near Nanga Parbat: IG and Chief Secretary of Gilgit-Baltistan suspended

Islamabad: Chaudhary Nisar, Federal Interior Minister, has suspended the Inspector General of Police and Chief Secretary, reacting to the massacre of nine foreign tourists and their Pakistani guide near the base camp of Nanga Parbat mountain. He made the announcement today while addressing the national assembly.

He said that the security lapse will be investigated and the causes will be found out. (Pamir Times) 

Terrorism: 9 foreign tourists and their two Pakistani guides killed by militants near Nanga Parbat

Updated at 05:51

“Government of Pakistan will make arrangements to transport the dead bodies to respective countries. Senior minister of the federal govt will accompany the bodies as a mark of respect”, said Chaudhary Nisar, while talking to the media, flanked by Chinese and Ukrainian ambassador.

Updated at 05:45

Dead bodies of the murdered tourists have been flown to Islamabad. Tight security measures have been taken around the Chaklala Air Base. The bodies will be sent to their respective countries, tonight or tomorrow, an official of the GB govt told Pamir Times.

Updated at 05:40

People are condemning the terrorist act, asking the government to take strict action against the terrorists. You can also join www.facebook.com/thapamirpage to share your reaction to the heinous act of terrorism.

Updated at 03:50

The dead bodies of the victims of terrorism in Diamer are now being shifted to Chaklala Airbase, in Islamabad. Chief Minister Gilgit-Baltistan, Syed Mehdi Shah, and members of his cabinet had come to Gilgit airport while the bodies were being sent to Islamabad in C-130 military plane.

National Assembly of Pakistan has condemned the terrorist attack near the base camp of West Face of the Nanga Parbat mountain.

A dead body is being taken out of an Army helicopter in Gilgit

Updated at 03: 19 PST

Dead bodies of tourists killed at a site close to the base camp of the West Face of Nanga Parbat are being shifted to Gilgit, in an Army helicopter.

Updated at 3:05 PST

Chief Minister Gilgit-Baltistan has convened a meeting of the regional cabinet at 3pm today to discuss the security situation.

According to some sources two Pakistani guides have been killed in the incident, taking the number of deceased to 11.

Updated at 1:43 PST

Tehrik-e-Taliabn Pakistan’s Ehsanullah Ehsan has reportedly claimed in a phone call made to the BBC and Reuters that a sub-group named “Junood-e-Hafsa” has carried out the attacks.

Updated at 01:30 PST

One Chinese tourist has, reportedly, been safely evacuated from the area.

Pakistani Interior Minister has said that the Federal Information Minister, Parvez Rasheed, will visit China along with the dead body of the Chinese tourist.

Islamabad, June 22: Ten tourists, including 5 Ukranians, 3 Chinese, one Russian and a Pakistani national, have been killed by unknown gunmen near the basecamp of the Diamer Face of Nanga Parbat, in Diamer District of Gilgit-Baltistan region.

“Generally the expeditions take this route, if they are trying to climb the Diamer Face (also known as West Face”, a local guide told Pamir Times. He said that expeditions reach to this area through the Bunar Nallah (stream).

The tourists were, reportedly, trying to climb the Diamer Face of Nanga Parbat.

Nanga Parbat is also known as the Killer Mountain, due to the fact that a very large number of climbers have lost their lives in avalanches and other natural incidents, while attempting to scale the 8 thousander.

It is for the very first time in the region’s history that mountaineers and tourists have been killed in such a heinous and brutal manner.

The region’s deputy Inspector General of Police, Ali Sher, has told the media that the entire region has been cordoned off and search for the assailants is underway with the help of choppers. He vowed to bring the culprits to justice.

Local tour operators have declared the tragedy to be a national tragedy and the last nail in the coffin of the region’s already ailing tourism industry.

The brazen terrorist attack has exposed yet again the regional government’s inability to protect the lives of innocent people. Last year around a hundred people were killed in different terrorist attacks and acts of sectarian violence in Kohistan, Diamer, Gilgit and the Babusar pass. 

For more information please visit the official page of PAMIR TIMES. www.pamirtimes.net