International Mountain Day: G-B asks renowned climber Hassan Sadpara to lend expertise as an instructor

A seminar organised by the tourism ministry and the WWF emphasised on protecting ecosystems in the highlands.

GILGIT:

The Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) Ministry of Tourism and the World Wide Fund (WWF) for Nature held a seminar to mark International Mountain Day on Wednesday.

On the occasion, the G-B government acknowledged the achievements of renowned mountaineer Hassan Sadpara, and offered him a coaching position at a climbing institute which the government is planning to establish. The offer was extended by Adviser to the Chief Minister on Tourism Sadia Danish during the seminar.



“We are establishing a mountaineering school and would like your expertise,” said Danish, referring to Sadpara. The chief guest also promised to give Sadpara and Samina Baig, another climber, cash prizes for their achievements.

Sadpara, who hails from G-B, was the first Pakistani to scale the 8,848m high Mount Everest without supplementary oxygen in May 2011. He complained, however, about the lack of recognition he received for the feat. “Despite this, I am ready to offer whatever I can in my individual capacity,” he told the audience, which included environmentalists, experts and researchers.

“The mountains of G-B are the backbone of Pakistan’s economy,” the adviser stated, referring to the glaciers that provide water for the country’s irrigation. Danish had earlier mentioned how landslides and disasters undermine the mountains’ ecosystems and said a widespread awareness campaign needs to be undertaken to keep the health of the highlands intact.

WWF’s Dr Babar Khan said G-B was important because three of the world’s greatest mountain ranges meet here. “Almost 75% of the water in the Indus River is contributed by tributaries emanating from the northern mountains, including Shango, Shyok, Shigar, Hunza, Ghizer and Astor.”

A larger landing strip and an alternative route to the Karakoram Highway might be part of future initiatives to bolster tourism in the region, shared G-B Department of Tourism Deputy Director Yasir Hussain.

December 11 was designated as International Mountain Day by the United Nations in 2002. Its purpose is to raise awareness and highlight the importance of identifying sustainable development opportunities for communities living in highland areas without degrading mountain ecosystems, according to the United Nations website.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 12^th, 2013.