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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)