KARACHI: A Pakistani expedition successfully crossed and climbed the remote Phargam An pass (5,100 metres) in the Hindu Kush for the first time in 27 years, while female climbers reached the summit for the first time, officials said on Tuesday.
The expedition, supported by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Culture and Tourism Authority (KPCTA), reopened the historic high altitude route connecting Laspur Valley in Upper Chitral to Golain Valley in Lower Chitral.
The team crossed glaciers, steep snow slopes, loose rock and avalanche-prone terrain to reach the summit before descending into the Golain Valley.
Kamran Khan was the first climber to reach the summit, along with Mehrosh Akhtar, Samar Khan, Noman Khan, Noormal Rehman, Zohaib Khan, Omar Khitab Sheerani, Sohniya Babar, Amina Shabbir and Madeeha Syed.
The expedition also marked the first successful ascent of the pass by women, with Mehrosh Akhtar among those who made history. Sisters Chitrali Smell Rose and Madhu Shala Akhtar also took part in the expedition.
Led by local guide Zamurd Khan, the team said changing mountain conditions, including falling rocks and retreating glaciers, had significantly altered the route since previous crossings.
During the expedition, the climbers rediscovered a memorial plaque dedicated to the Austrian mountaineer Georg Kronberger, who died in the region in 1975.
Officials said the expedition was part of KPCTA’s Tirich Mir Project, which aims to identify and document historic trekking routes and promote sustainable adventure tourism in Upper Chitral.
They said the reopening of Phargam An Pass would help showcase the region’s mountaineering potential while preserving its exploration heritage.
