Pakistan

‘If a girl can climb a mountain, she can do anything’

Danish ambassador climbs rock wall with Pakistan’s mountaineer Samina Khayal Baig near Rawal Lake.

Express January 27, 2011 1 min read

ISLAMABAD: The Danish Ambassador Uffe Wolffhechel climbed a rock wall with Pakistan’s mountaineer Samina Khayal Baig near Rawal Lake on Wednesday.

In-line with the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals for women and youth and funded by the Danish government, the event aimed to promote education and gender equality.

“I intend to motivate more women to participate in such events. This will give a message of confidence to all women that if a young girl can climb a mountain, she can do anything,” said Baig. Along with her brother Mirza Ali, she established Pakistan Youth Outreach, a local organisation promoting mountaineering among younger population. The organisation also conducts seminars in schools, colleges and universities to educate youth about mountaineering.

“Our support for Samina’s courageous winter expedition was driven by our aspiration to promote a role model for gender equality,” said Wolffhechel, the Danish ambassador. “The Danish government is proud to promote Baig as an example of a positive and dynamic Pakistan, which is seldom covered by the international media,” he added.

Baig’s ascent of a 6400 metres high peak last year drew attention to the beauty of the pristine mountains of Pakistan. The ambassador said the Danish Government was supporting a new development programme for Pakistan with a strong emphasis on education. “Pakistan’s future lies with educating the youth to create new opportunities,” he added.

The event was a follow up to Baig’s recent winter expedition in Shimshal, known as the valley of mountaineers in the Karakorum. Eight girls from Shimshal, under the leadership of Baig and Qudrat Ali from Shimshal Mountaineering School, successfully completed their first high altitude winter expedition in the Karakorum from December 29, 2010 to January 12, 2011. Earlier in 2010 Baig climbed a 6,400 meters high peak, Chashkin Sar.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 27^th, 2011.