GILGIT BALTISTAN: The government of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) has nominated the late Muhammad Ali Sadpara, who along with two other climbers lost their lives in an attempt to summit K2 in winter, for a civil award.
During a cabinet meeting, Chief Minister Khalid Khurshid Khan paid tribute to Mohammad and said that the mountaineer had earned recognition for Pakistan across the globe.
The mountaineer chose the profession despite limited resources and dangers, adding that Mohammad’s services will always be remembered, he noted.
On this occasion, the cabinet also agreed to nominate Mohammad for the civil award. The Chief Minister announced that Rs3 million will be paid to the widow of mountaineer Mohammad Ali Sadpara.
A cabinet committee comprising Finance Minister Javed Ali Manwa, Law Adviser Sohail Abbas and Adviser to GB Food Department Shams Lone will pay a visit to Mohammad’s family and extend their condolences.
The GB cabinet also gave a green signal for the establishment of Muhammad Ali Sadpara Institute of Adventure Sports Mountaineering and Climbing, to honor his achievement.
Chief Minister Khalid Khurshid, himself, will also visit the mountaineer’s house and extend his condolences to the family.
On February 18, after days of searching, Mohammad, John Snorri from Iceland and JP Mohr from Chile were declared dead.
The three climbers were last seen on February 5 near the Bottleneck on K2 as they attempted to reach the summit of the Savage Mountain. Sajid Sadpara, who was accompanying the three, had to abandon his summit bid after his oxygen regulator malfunctioned and he returned to Camp 3.
Bad weather thwarted multiple attempts to search for the missing climbers, though the efforts continued for several days after the trio went missing.
