Pakistani climber Asif Bhatti stranded at Nanga Parbat due to snow blindness

A helicopter will be needed to rescue the climber, says Alpine Club of Pakistan Secretary Karrar Haidri

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistani climber Asif Bhatti, who had proceeded for the final summit push of the treacherous 8,126 metre Nanga Parbat mountain, has been stranded with snow blindness, the Alpine Club of Pakistan (ACP) said on Monday.

“Asif is stuck at camp 4 with snow blindness at altitude 7,500-metre to 8,000-metre. He needs help,” ACP Secretary Karrar Haidri told APP.

According to Haidri, a number of outfits were attempting the summit and some of their members had conveyed the message that Asif was suffering from snow blindness.

“A helicopter will be needed to pick him up but for that, he will have to come down to around 6,000-metres to 6,500-metres,” he added.

🚨#Rescue alert at #NangaParbat 🚨

A #Pakistani #climber Asif Bhatti, who is also a university professor from Islamabad, is stuck on Nanga Parbat at altitude of around 7500 meters. He is suffering from snow blindness and is unable to descend on his own. A group of climbers from… pic.twitter.com/XHhH7zkSJY

— The Karakoram Club (@KarakoramClub) July 3, 2023

Asif, along with renowned Pakistani mountaineer Lt Col (R) Dr Jabbar Bhatti, Dr Naveed, Saad Muhammad, and Faheem Pasha, had departed for the expedition a few days earlier. “His other team members have not yet begun their final summit push,” Haidri said.

Also read Pakistan climbers scale new heights

Climber Shehroze Kashif has volunteered himself for the rescue mission and humbly appealed to the concerned departments to consider arranging transportation for him.

I would like to enthusiastically volunteer for the Asif Bhatti rescue mission on Nanga Parbat. I kindly request the relevant department to consider transporting me to either the basecamp or even to higher camps for increased involvement.

— Shehroze Kashif (broadboy) (@Shehrozekashif2) July 3, 2023

With a death probability of 21%, Nanga Parbat continues to claim its place among the top five most dangerous mountains in the world. Till now 85 of the climbers have died while attempting it.

Pakistan rivals Nepal for the number of peaks higher than 7,000 meters. Nanga Parbat has become known as “Killer Mountain” moniker because of the high number of lives it has claimed.