KAPUR: Maria Conceição on Sunday became the first Portuguese woman to summit the 8,611-metre K2 peak in Pakistan’s northern Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) province, a local travel agency confirmed.
A sparsely populated region, GB is home to some of the world’s highest mountains and is a major tourist destination. Hundreds of tourists flock to the region every year to climb various peaks, paragliding and enjoy other activities.
K2, also known as the “Barbarian Mountain”, is the highest peak in Pakistan and the second highest mountain in the world. In the past, several climbers have died while attempting to summit this towering peak.
Mashreq, a leading financial institution in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, sponsored the 47-year-old Conceição to join the nine-member expedition as part of its global Climb2Change initiative.
“Heartfelt congratulations to the entire 8K K2 Expedition team for successfully summiting K2, the second highest mountain in the world,” Pakistani travel company Summit Karakoram said in a Facebook post, naming Conceição among the climbers.
“Your determination, skill and teamwork have paid off in achieving this feat. Reaching the summit of K2 is a testament to your unwavering determination and passion for mountaineering. Savor this incredible achievement and be assured that your name will be etched in the history of mountaineering excellence. Congratulations!”
Conceição’s husband, Saul Keen, told Arab News he was “very proud” of her achievement.
“She is very driven and always finds a way to get things done,” Keane told Arab News. “Maria continues to take on challenges today because she loves to inspire others.”
Conceição is also one of the brand ambassadors for Mt. Mashreq, which this month announced the launch of mountain cleanups in Pakistan as part of the global Climb2Change initiative, which will include cleaning up two prominent peaks, K2 and Broad Peak (K3), as well as Goro 2 and Concordia base camps.
“Maria and I are both brand ambassadors for Mashreq. She is an incredible woman. Today she became the first Portuguese woman to summit K2,” renowned Pakistani female climber Naila Kiani told Arab News by phone.
“Naira was the first Portuguese woman to summit Mount Everest in 2013. She also holds 10 Guinness World Records in marathons, ultramarathons and long-distance triathlons. In addition to her sport, she is also a great humanitarian.”
According to the British Tourist Board, hundreds of foreign climbers and trekkers have been issued permits to climb Pakistan’s mountains this year.
“More than 135 climbers, including 21 Pakistanis and 41 Nepalese, are attempting K2 this week,” Sajid Hussain, deputy director of the British Tourist Board, told Arab News.
Pakistan is home to five of the world’s tallest mountains, both over 8,000 metres, including K2 and Nanga Parbat, both notorious for their dangerous climbs.
More than 8,900 foreigners visited the remote Gilgit-Baltistan region, where the summer climbing season runs from early June to late August, in 2023, according to official figures.
Clean Up Drive
Through its Climb2Change initiative, Mashreq aims to clean up 14 of the world’s most majestic mountains, reaching seven summits and the remaining seven base camps.
The June-August Pakistan expedition will include Conceição and Kiani, the first Pakistani woman and third Pakistani overall to summit 11 of the world’s 14 highest 8,000-metre peaks.
“With the support of the Central Karakoram National Park (CKNP), our teams picked up between 1,400 and 1,500 kilograms of waste from Camp 1 and Camp 2 on K2,” Kiani, who is leading the effort in Pakistan, told Arab News.
“Our team is heading to Camp III where we will also be retrieving the body of Hassan Shigli, who died on K2 last year.”
