Everest climber lands police trainer’s job

Sadpara says he expected more from the govt, but ‘something’s better than nothing’.

GILGIT:

Recognizing the valour of climber Hassan Sadpara, who recently became the second Pakistani to scale Mount Everest, the Gilgit-Baltistan government has appointed him as an instructor in the police force.

A senior police official confirmed the appointment in G-B’s police force on Tuesday, adding that the force would benefit from Sadpara’s exceptional talent. He said that Sadpara is known for his marvelous achievements and the forces would have the honour to be trained by a person of such high calibre.

The 48-year-old mountaineer, who hails from Sadpara village, about 7 kilometres from Skardu, ascended the highest peak in the world – at 29,028 ft – in May. He has previously scaled five other peaks of over 8,000 metres in height in Pakistan.

However, Sadpara was less than excited about the new development, which didn’t match his expectations of the government.

“It is good news – something is better than nothing,” Sadpara told The Express Tribune by phone on Tuesday. “I am as empty-handed as I was before,” he said, but added that he would do his best to train the police to the highest expectations of his supervisors.

After the successful venture, Sadpara returned to his hometown in hope of some sort of recognition on part of the government. Although his feat earned him applause from various quarters in the country, the climber has yet to be awarded or given official recognition.

He said that apart from the G-B chief minister, no key official from the federal government received him at the airport. Inspired by his father, Sadpara started his career as a porter back in 1996, when he was 33. Fifteen years later, he says, he is as fit as before and wishes to climb the remaining eight out of 14 of the world’s highest peaks, provided he gets financial support from the government or any other organisation.



Published in The Express Tribune, June 8th, 2011.