On May 24, Naila Kiani conquered the peak of Kanchenjunga at 6:30 am local time, earning the title of Pakistan’s foremost female mountaineer due to her impressive tally of 12 peaks exceeding eight thousand meters each.
The Karachi-born climber based in Dubai is on the verge of becoming part of an exclusive group of just 17 women worldwide who have successfully summited all 14 mountains standing taller than 8,000 meters.
A Pakistani mountaineer from Dubai named Naila Kiani successfully climbed Kanchenjunga, standing at 8,586 meters high and recognized as the highest mountain in India. Her organizing team announced this achievement on Friday, highlighting an image of Kiani proudly holding up the Pakistani flag atop the summit. According to statements made by the Alpine Club of Pakistan (ACP), known for orchestrating multiple climbing expeditions, Kiani has now achieved the distinction of being the first Pakistani woman to conquer twelve out of fourteen mountains exceeding 8,000 meters in altitude. The Imagine Nepal expedition group reported that she attained the Kanchenjunga peak early Friday morning. With this climb, Kiani inches closer to becoming one among just seventeen women globally who have mastered all fourteen towering summits over 8,000 meters.
“Shortly before 7:00 AM NPT [Nepal Time], our remarkable team of ten climbers triumphantly reached the peak of Kanchenjunga (8,586 meters), which stands as the planet’s third-tallest mountain,” stated Imagine Nepal via their Facebook page. “At approximately 6:30 AM local time, Naila Kiani achieved the summit of Kanchenjunga, thereby earning the title of Pakistan’s foremost woman mountaineer due to having climbed twelve mountains exceeding eight thousand meters each,” shared Dawa Futi Sherpa, who serves as the operations director for Imagine Nepal, according to remarks made by the Alpine Club of Pakistan.
The Pakistani club described this as a “significant landmark” in Pakistan’s climbing history, marking a profound source of national pride. “Her expedition from the peaks of Mount Everest and K2 to the challenging terrains of Annapurna and Lhotse exemplifies remarkable perseverance, tenacity, and unwavering determination,” stated the ACP.
This accomplishment extends beyond an individual milestone—it serves as a powerful emblem of female empowerment within athletics, offering hope and motivation to people across Pakistan, and instilling pride among all climbing aficionados. Previously, Kiani had conquered several towering peaks including Mount Makalu at 8,485 meters, Broad Peak reaching 8,047 meters, Annapurna standing tall at 8,091 meters, the formidable K2 at 8,611 meters, Lhotse stretching up to 8,516 meters, Gasherbrum I measuring 8,068 meters, Gasherbrum II extending to 8,035 meters, Nanga Parbat soaring at 8,125 meters, the iconic Mount Everest rising to 8,849 meters, Manaslu ascending to 8,156 meters, and Cho Oyu peaking at 8,201 meters.
