Abdul Jabbar Faisal
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's number one female climber Naila Kayani asked the government to set up a system to rescue mountaineers quickly, who fall in trouble during their attempts on different high peaks owing to bad weather.
While addressing a press conference here at National Press club (NPC) on Tuesday, Naila, who climbed eight of the 14 peaks above 8,000 meters in the world in the shortest time, thanked Prime Minister Mohammad Shahbaz Sharif for announcing the star distinction. “There is an urgent need to form a rescue team and train them to bring them back safely mountaineers, “she added.
“There is also an intention to climb the remaining six high peaks, there is a lot of talent in Pakistan, but they do not have any kind of support at the government level. But it is not possible, if mountaineers are supported at the government level, then Pakistani mountaineers can make a name in the world, “she further said.
To a question Naila Kayani, said: “People are generally not fully aware of hill climbing, there are 14 over 8 thousand meters in the world including five are in Pakistan, seven in Nepal, and two in China, which is considered a very important achievement, Allah Almighty has given me the ability to climb eight peaks in the shortest time. Being a first mountaineer, it is very difficult to establish yourself as a woman, but I have proved that women can also achieve significant achievements alongside men, “she maintained.
She said, “I belong to Rawalpindi while people consider me to be from Gilgit-Baltistan. I want to give a message to the youth that if I can achieve these achievements despite not belonging to the mountains, others can also achieve these milestones. I did not receive any financial support at the government level, “she lamented.
To another question, Naila said: “There is an urgent need to form a rescue team and train them for rescue. In this regard, they should also be provided with a helicopter so that the surveyors can be rescued safely. I am grateful to the private sector who have sponsored me, as the financial support for climbers is very important, “she concluded.
