Samina; Pakistan’s first woman to scale Mount Everest

Samina Baig (21) completed the climb with her brother Mirza Ali (29) who becomes the third and youngest Pakistani male to scale the mountain, while Samina Baig becomes the first Pakistani woman to scale Mount Everest. President Asif Ali Zardari congratulated Samina Baig and her brother Mirza Ali for scaling the world’s highest peak Mount Everest.

Baig completed the climb to the summit at around 7:30 a.m. local time, with her brother Mirza Ali.  Nepal Mountaineering Department official Tilak Padney said that, 35 foreigners accompanied by 29 Nepalese Sherpa guides, reached the peak after climbing all night from the highest camp on South Col the pass between Everest and a neighbouring mountain.

Ali (29) and Baig (21) are natives of Shimshal village in Hunza valley‚ Pakistan. Ali has been climbing since age 15‚ and he was Baig’s mentor‚ guide and support. On his personal blog‚ Ali stated that this climb was the ‘First Pakistani gender equality Mt. Everest expedition’.

Giving description of the climb in his blog‚ Mirza Ali wrote: “Once at base camp‚ we will begin our acclimatisation trips. This involves climbing to Camp 1‚ staying the night‚ then returning to base camp to rest‚ then climbing to Camp 1 and staying the night and climbing on to Camp 2 and staying the night‚ before returning to base camp and so on up to Camp 3. Once our acclimatisation trips have finished‚ and assuming we are in good health and super fit physically and mentally‚ we’ll be ready to try for the summit‚ which should be mid May. We will wait for a good weather forecast or ‘window’ for the possible summit attempt.”