Karachi: The best and most successful female mountaineer of Pakistan, Naila Kiani, has climbed Kanchenjunga, the third highest peak in the world, which marks its twelfth summit above 8,000 meters.
With his last feat, Kiani has approached his dream of joining the elite group of women who have conquered the 14 highest mountains in the world.
Standing at 8,586 m (28,169 feet), Kanchenjunga extends to horcajadas on the border between India and Nepal and is also the highest peak in India. However, you are not allowed to climb the mountain from the Indian side.
Naila Kiani began his final rise from camp IV on Thursday night and successfully arrived at the summit around 6 am pkt, raising the Pakistan flag at the top of the third highest in the world, the second highest and the highest of India.
According to his Basecamp team, the final impulse of the summit began at approximately 6:30 PM PKT and continued during the night in severe high altitude conditions, including intense snowfall and sub-cero temperatures.
Despite the challenges, Kiani remained firm and reached the summit, driven by unwavering determination.
“From Pakistan to Kanchenjunga, this summit is not just a personal milestone, it is a message for all girls and women in Pakistan and beyond: you are stronger than you think,” Kiani said, in a shared message through his team. “I am proud and grateful, but the trip is far from finishing. Pakistan, this is for you.”
With this achievement, Kiani becomes the only Pakistani woman at the 12 of the 14 peaks above 8,000 m.
Now he is two peaks to join only 17 women around the world who have completed the challenge. Only the Shishapangma and Dhaulagiri remain for her to make history.
He began his career at high altitude in 2021 by submitting to Gasherbrum II. Since then, he has conquered some of the most formidable peaks in the world, including K2 (2022), Gasherbrum I (2022), Annapurna (2023), Mount Everest (2023), Lhotse (2023), Nanga Parbat (2023), Broad Peak (2023), Cho Oyu (2023) and Mount Mount Makalu (2024).
Kiani is also the only Pakistani woman who has accumulated the five peaks of more than 8,000m within Pakistan. He also has the record of being the first Pakistani woman in at least nine peaks of more than 8,000 m in the world. This feat makes it the unnegasted female climbing of the country.
Her relentless search for mountaineering excellence has made her a symbol of perseverance for women in Pakistan and beyond.
