Tarar says severe weather halts effort to retrieve mountaineer Dr Asma’s body

Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar on Sunday said the rescue team tasked with retrieving the body of Dr Asma Mushtaq from Spantik Mountain in the Karakoram range had to turn back due to severe weather conditions. In a post on social media platform X, the minister said the team had reached almost near Camp-3, but heavy snowfall and strong winds forced it to return to Camp-2. He said high-altitude porters were expected to reach Camp-3 and bring the body down to the base camp, but the adverse weather had hampered the retrieval operation. Tarar said a helicopter had been authorised and coordination had been established between the Gilgit-Baltistan government and the FCNA, while alternate arrangements were also in place. “Whatever can be done in these circumstances, will be done, ” he said. The minister added that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was being kept updated on the situation. Pakistani mountaineer Asma lost her life during the descent from Spantik peak (7, 027 metres) in the Karakoram range, the Alpine Club of Pakistan (ACP) said on Thursday. According to the ACP, Asma had successfully reached the summit of Spantik in good health. However, during her descent at approximately 6, 400 metres, she had suffered a serious high altitude medical emergency and could not survive despite the immediate efforts of her mountain guides.

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