From Conquering Peaks to Winning Hearts – Samina Baig

Journey of Pakistan’s first Woman to Summit the Intimidating Mount Everest & six other fatal peaks around the globe

Gone are the days where it was thought that women should only need to learn just those domestic chores. A woman would now need to be outdoors, against all odds, challenging herself and those around her physically as well as mentally in order to minimize the discrimination borders set up by the society, and thus, nurturing herself as well. That is what Samina Khayal Baig, just at the age of 21, did in 2013. She became the first ever Pakistani to climb the planet’s highest mountain peak, Mount Everest which is approximately 8,850 metres high.

Prior to the challenging adventure, Samina had climbed some really high peaks such as the Mount Kilimanjaro (Tanzania), Chashkin Sar (Pakistan) and Aconcagua (Argentina). Samina comes from Gilgit-Baltistan and is pursuing mountaineering professionally for the past 7 years and was trained in mountaineering by her brother, Mirza Ali.

Their dream was to set the record of climbing up to the 7 summits that demands severe physical and mental preparations. Of these seven, Samina has hoisted the Pakistani flag on all of them, while Mirza is yet to summit the Mt. Everest.

“SaminaBaig set the record of capturing the seven summits in record age of 23 years and record time, said Mirza Ali in his social media page.“

We had the greatest honor to hoist our green flag on the seven summits!”

There were several other mountain climbers with SaminaBaig when she was at the top of the Everest including two Indian girls Tashi and Nungshi Malik. Samina and the Malik sisters roosted their country’s respective flags side by side in order to deliver the message of peace and cordial relations between the two countries.

That being said, Samina, her brother and a couple of other mountaineers are currently at camp1 of Mountain K-2, climbing slowly but surely to their destination. Although K-2 is some 200m short than the Everest, it is far more hazardous to climb and has the second-highest fatality rate among the 8 thousand mountain peaks.

Upon being asked by a private editorial group, Samina said that they have climbed every single top without having to go down due to bad weather. But a recent tweet by Mirza Ali showed that Samina and company are all set for the expedition to camp 2 at K-2, however, the harsh weather conditions slowed them down.

When asked what would be her message for the youth and the Ismaili community they belonged to, she analogized her expression with that of a mountain. No matter there are problems in one’s life that are piling up like a mountain, they should never give up and should try his/her best to achieve it. When the brother and the sister both climb together, they also deliver the message of gender equality, which we all know is around us in a staggering amount.

They would certainly slow down, but their hard work and dedication, along with the prayers of each and every Pakistani, would make sure they reach the peak, hoist the flag, and descend down safely.

We wish them a happy and a harmless mountaineering season!