9th national rock climbing championship concludes in Islamabad

Islamabad’s Huzaifa Imran and SNGPL’s Abuzar Faiz and Amani Jannat emerged among the top performers

ISLAMABAD:

The 9th National Sport Climbing and Rock Climbing Championship successfully concluded at the Pakistan Sport Climbing Arena, Pakistan Sports Complex, Islamabad, reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to the promotion and development of sport climbing and rock climbing at the national level.
The closing and award ceremony was graced by Lieutenant General Shakir Ullah Khattak, HI(M), Chairman Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT), as the Chief Guest, accompanied by Mr. Mohyuddin Wani, Secretary, Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) Division. The distinguished guests were warmly received by Major General Irfan Arshad Khan, HI(M), President, Alpine Club of Pakistan (ACP), who presided over the ceremony.
The proceedings commenced with the recitation of the Holy Quran by Saif Ud Din, followed by a welcome and keynote address by Major General Irfan Arshad Khan, HI(M). In his address, the President ACP highlighted the vision and mandate of the Alpine Club of Pakistan for the systematic promotion of sport climbing and rock climbing, appreciated the efforts of the organizing committee and technical officials, and emphasized the importance of climbing sports in youth development, discipline, physical fitness, leadership, and character building across Pakistan.
The President, Alpine Club of Pakistan, further highlighted the championship activities and informed the audience that the event was held from 6th to 8th January 2026, marking the ninth edition of the National Sport Climbing Championship. He underscored the importance of organizing regular national-level competitions to identify emerging talent and prepare athletes for international representation.
Mr. Karrar Haidri, Vice President, Alpine Club of Pakistan, and Organizer of the Championship, stated that the championship comprised sport climbing competitions at the Pakistan Sports Complex and rock climbing competitions at the Margalla Hills, Islamabad, providing athletes exposure to both artificial and natural climbing environments. He further noted the enthusiastic participation of athletes from Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir, along with the departmental team SNGPL, reflecting nationwide representation.
The award distribution ceremony and announcement of results were conducted by Mr. Najeeb Ullah Khattak, Vice President and Convener of the Championship, along with officials of the Alpine Club of Pakistan.
Championship Results
National Sport Climbing
Boys Under-19
First Position: Huzaifa Imran (Islamabad)
Second Position: Saad Aslam (Azad Jammu and Kashmir)
Third Position: Dilshad Ali
Men’s Senior Category
First Position: Abuzar Faiz (SNGPL)
Second Position: Zaheer Ahmed
Third Position: Huzaifa Imran
Women’s Category
Amani Jannat (SNGPL) received a Special Award for her outstanding performance.
Cash Awards
Cash prizes of PKR 50,000, PKR 30,000, and PKR 20,000 were awarded to athletes securing first, second, and third positions respectively.
Rock Climbing Competition (Margalla Hills)
Boys Under-19
First Position: Saad Aslam (Azad Jammu and Kashmir)
Second Position: Huzaifa Imran (Islamabad)
Third Position: Dilshad Ali (Sindh)
Girls Under-19
First Position: Amna Maqsood (Punjab)
Second Position: Dua Alam (Punjab)
Third Position: Tooba Amna (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa)
Men’s Senior Category
First Position: Zaheer Ahmed (SNGPL)
Second Position: Sajid Aslam (Azad Jammu and Kashmir)
Third Position: Syed Jameel Ud Din
Women’s Category
First Position: Amani Jannat (SNGPL)
Second Position: Bibi Afzoon Zooni (Gilgit-Baltistan)
Third Position: Syeda Zahra (Gilgit-Baltistan)
Souvenir and Shield Presentation
Souvenirs and commemorative shields were presented by Major General Irfan Arshad Khan, HI(M), President, Alpine Club of Pakistan, to the distinguished guests and officials, including Brigadier Akram, Brigadier Akmal, Colonel Sher Khan, Mr. Aftab Rana, Managing Director, Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC), the Secretary IPC, and Mr. Rehmat, Minister Counsellor for Information, Social, and Cultural Affairs, Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Pakistan.
Souvenirs were also presented to Mr. Najeeb Ullah Khattak, Convener of the Championship; Mr. Ayaz Ahmed Shigri, Secretary General, Alpine Club of Pakistan; and Mr. Karrar Haidri, Vice President, Alpine Club of Pakistan, and Organizer of the Championship, in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the successful conduct of the event.
The championship concluded on a high note, reaffirming the leadership and vision of the President, Alpine Club of Pakistan, and the continued commitment of the Alpine Club of Pakistan and the Pakistan Mountaineering and Sport Climbing Federation to the promotion, development, and institutional strengthening of sport climbing and rock climbing across Pakistan.
At the conclusion of the ceremony, Mr. Ayaz Ahmed Shigri, Secretary General, Alpine Club of Pakistan, expressed sincere gratitude to all participants, officials, organizers, sponsors, volunteers, and honorable guests for their valuable support and cooperation. Tea was served at the end of the ceremony.