Naila Kiani, Pakistan’s most accomplished female climber, etched her name in the annals of mountaineering history by becoming the first Pakistani woman to successfully scale Cho Oyu. Cho Oyu stands tall at 8,188 meters, ranking as the world’s sixth-highest peak.
Naila reached the summit of Cho Oyu at precisely 12:30 pm Nepal Time, achieving this remarkable feat as part of the Imagine Nepal team, which also included fellow climber Sirbaz Khan.
Confirming her triumphant ascent via satellite phone, Naila Kiani celebrated her 10th peak-conquering expedition, all of which exceeded the daunting altitude of 8,000 meters. She now holds the distinction of being the first and only Pakistani woman to conquer ten eight-thousanders.
In a joint achievement, Naila and Sirbaz Khan simultaneously stepped onto the summit, making them the first Pakistanis to reach the pinnacle of Cho Oyu.
Naila Kiani’s journey to this historic achievement began in 2021 when she first conquered Gasherbrum II. Her mountaineering prowess continued to shine in 2022 as she successfully summited both K2 and Gasherbrum I. Impressively, since April of the same year, Naila Kiani has scaled seven more peaks, including Annapurna, Mt. Everest, Lhotse, Nanga Parbat, Broad Peak, Manaslu, and now Cho Oyu. This remarkable feat establishes her as the first Pakistani to achieve the remarkable feat of conquering seven peaks in just six months.
Karrar Haidri, representing the Alpine Club of Pakistan, commended Naila Kiani’s unwavering determination and mountaineering prowess. He emphasized that her success on Cho Oyu, accomplished under extremely challenging conditions characterized by poor visibility and hostile weather, is a testament to her strength and skill as a mountaineer.
Haidri, along with the entire mountaineering community, expressed their heartfelt hopes and prayers for Naila Kiani’s safe return from this extraordinary adventure, celebrating her as a trailblazing figure in the world of mountaineering.
