Daily Times

In an incredible display of courage and determination, Sirbaz Khan has become the first Pakistani mountaineer to conquer all 14 of the world’s peaks above 8000 metres, Alpine Club of Pakistan (ACP) said on Friday.

“This extraordinary accomplishment demonstrates his unwavering passion and dedication to the sport of mountaineering,” Secretary of ACP Karrar Haidri said in a statement.

In his latest success, Sirbaz Khan summited the 8,027-metre-high Shishapangma, marking it as his 14th “eight-thousander” peak.

After conquering this peak, he joins the elite group of mountaineers worldwide who have achieved this honour.

Hailing from Hunza, Sirbaz Khan embarked on his journey to conquer the world’s 14 highest peaks in 2017, starting with the dangerous 8,126-metre Nanga Parbat. This successful ascent marked the beginning of his quest to summit all the eight-thousanders. Over the years, Khan tackled some of the most formidable mountains, including K2 in July 2018 and Lhotse in May 2019, where he became the first Pakistani to reach the 8,516-metre summit.

In July 2019, he added Broad Peak to his accomplishments, scaling its 8,051-metre summit without supplementary oxygen-a signature achievement in many of his climbs. That same year, in September, he summited Nepal’s 8,163-metre Manaslu, becoming only the second Pakistani to do so.

Khan’s perseverance never faltered, and in April 2021, he became the first Pakistani to reach the summit of Annapurna, one of the deadliest mountains. A month later, he conquered Mount Everest, the tallest peak on Earth at 8,849 metres.

In July 2021, Khan led an all-Pakistani team to the top of the 8,035-metre Gasherbrum II, further establishing himself as a prominent figure in high-altitude mountaineering. Just a few months later, in October 2021, he became the first Pakistani to conquer the 8,167-metre Dhaulagiri.

Continuing his record-breaking streak in 2022, Khan summited Kangchenjunga in May and Makalu later that month, becoming the first Pakistani to climb both. In August, he led another successful expedition to Gasherbrum I, marking his 12th eight-thousander summit.

In October 2023, Khan achieved another milestone by becoming the first Pakistani to summit the 8,188-metre Cho Oyu. Finally, on October 4, 2024, with the successful ascent of Shishapangma, Khan completed his mission, becoming the first Pakistani to conquer all 14 of the world’s highest peaks.

Notably, Sirbaz Khan climbed 11 of these peaks without supplemental oxygen, a feat that is considered highly challenging and dangerous.

In 2023, he also summited Cho Oyu, and with his successful summit of Shishapangma, he has now become the first Pakistani to achieve this historic goal.