Gilgit: A tragic mountaineering accident has claimed the life of Dr. Asma Mushtaq, a Pakistani-born, UK-based doctor, on Spantik peak in Gilgit-Baltistan’s Karakoram range.
The incident occurred on August 20 on Spantik (7,027 meters), located in Hopper Nagar and widely known as the “Golden Peak,” one of the region’s most celebrated mountaineering destinations.
According to reports, Dr. Mushtaq successfully reached the summit of Spantik alongside her mountain guide, Akbar Ali. However, during the descent, at an altitude of approximately 6,400 meters, she developed a severe case of high-altitude illness.
Akbar Ali reportedly made every possible effort to provide immediate medical assistance and bring her safely down the mountain, but Dr. Mushtaq could not survive the ordeal.
Dr. Asma Mushtaq was based in the United Kingdom, where she worked as a specialist in Obstetrics and Gynaecology. Beyond her medical career, she was known for her deep passion for travel, adventure, and mountaineering.
Spantik, situated in Hopper Nagar within Gilgit-Baltistan’s Karakoram range, draws mountaineers from Pakistan and around the world each year. This latest tragedy serves as a somber reminder of the inherent dangers of high-altitude mountaineering and the severe risks climbers face.
Dr. Mushtaq’s death has brought deep sorrow to her family, friends, and the wider mountaineering community, with particularly strong expressions of grief from the people of Nagar and Gilgit-Baltistan.
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