LAHORE: The climb was over, but the journey back proved fatal. Pakistani mountaineer Asma Mushtaq died during her descent from Spantik Peak after a medical emergency at about 6,400 meters.
Mushtaq had successfully reached the 7,027-meter summit in the Karakoram range shortly before the incident, the Alpine Club of Pakistan said.
According to the Alpine Club, Mushtaq was in good health when she reached the summit. Her condition suddenly deteriorated during the descent, prompting her mountain guides to provide immediate medical assistance and make every effort to save her. She could not be revived.
Media reports said Mushtaq may have suffered from high-altitude sickness during the descent. The exact medical cause of her death was not independently confirmed.
Mushtaq was from Lahore and lived in the United Kingdom, where she worked as a doctor in obstetrics and gynecology. She was also passionate about mountaineering, travel and nature and was involved in travel vlogging.
She had participated in several mountaineering expeditions before her Spantik climb. Her previous achievements included a winter ascent of Musa Ka Musalla, a 4,076-meter peak. She had also taken part in expeditions in the Rupal and Arandu regions.
Pakistan’s northern mountain ranges are among the world’s most challenging climbing destinations. Low oxygen levels, extreme cold, avalanches, rockfalls and sudden weather changes can pose serious risks, particularly at high elevations where even a minor medical problem can quickly become life-threatening.
Recent accidents have underscored those dangers. In July, a 10-member team of international climbers was killed in an avalanche on Broad Peak, highlighting the unpredictable conditions faced by mountaineers in the region.
Mushtaq’s death came after she had completed the most celebrated part of the expedition reaching the summit. Her fatal descent is a reminder that in high-altitude mountaineering, returning safely can be just as difficult and dangerous as reaching the top.
