Naila Kiani becomes first Pakistani woman to summit 11 ‘eight-thousanders’

KATHMANDU: Pakistani mountaineer Naila Kiani becomes the first Pakistani woman to summit the world’s fifth-highest peak Mount Makalu at 8,485 meters (27,838 feet), located in the Mahalangur range of the Nepal Himalayas.

Today, at about 8:50 a.m. (PST) Naila successfully ascended Makalu, becoming the first and only Pakistani woman to summit eleven peaks higher than 8,000 meters.

Secretary Alpine Club of Pakistan Karar Hydari told the international publication that Kayani made history as the fastest Pakistani, both male and female, to have summited 11 of the 8,000-meter peaks, accomplished in under three years.

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“So far out of 14 eight-thousanders, she has completed the 11th peak. She summited the peak at 8:50 am local time,” he added.

In her previous record, she summited Broad Peak (8,047 meters), Annapurna (8,091 meters), K2 (8,611 meters), Lhotse (8,516 meters), Gasherbrum 1 (8,068 meters), Gasherbrum II (8,035 meters), Nanga Parbat (8,125 meters), Mount Everest (8,849 meters), Manaslu (8,156 meters) and Cho Oyu (8,201 meters).

In a statement, the Alpine Club quoting Naila extended gratitude for all the prayers and wishes she received from people and thanked Sherpa Gelgen Dai from Imagine Nepal, a company that promotes mountain trekking and peak climbing in Nepal.