In the far reaches of the Himalayas, Pakistan’s famous mountaineer Sirbaz Khan is once again climbing on the steep slopes of Annapurna. His latest Instagram post from the foot of the gigantic 8,091-meter-high mountain not only marks a personal challenge but also signifies the hopes and dreams of an entire generation of Pakistani mountaineers and high-altitude porters.
Khan, who has already made history as the only one to ascend all 14 of the world’s 8,000-meter peaks, is once again at Annapurna with a fresh mission—to conquer it without supplemental oxygen. His determination evidences an unbreakable commitment to pushing personal boundaries, yet above all, it has the unrealized hope of the Hunza Tigers, a group of talented classical pioneer climbers from Hunza, Pakistan, who have long desired to leave their mark on the world’s greatest peaks.
“When I made my project public for the first time after the ascent of Nanga Parbat in 2017, my goal was simple: 14×8000m tops without O2,” Khan posted on Instagram. He is unequivocal that even though he has established the bigger goal, his previous two summits—Annapurna and Kangchenjunga—both used supplemental oxygen near the top. Now, he returns to complete what he considers to be an incomplete page in his storied career.
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For Pakistan’s mountaineering community, Khan’s achievement is not only an individual one. It is a collective triumph, a beacon of inspiration for dozens of local climbers and porters who have been denied recognition by the elite world of high-altitude climbing. The Hunza Tigers, in truth, have carried the dream long enough of bringing into the limelight the elite skill and resilience of Pakistan’s local mountaineering community. In a way, Khan’s rise to the summit without supplemental oxygen and limited gear is their legacy, proving that the country’s climbers are among the best in the world.
His return to Annapurna also tells us about the indomitable spirit of mountaineers who see every top as not only an accomplishment but also a learning experience. “Finally, it will be the mountain that will judge,” he presents modestly. This humility towards nature and the irreversible determination to push frontiers made him a true sportsperson as well as a legend.
As Sirbaz Khan embarks on this challenging quest, he does so not just for himself but for generations of Pakistani climbers, porters, and high-altitude porters whose work is often overlooked. His journey is a testament to the unfulfilled dreams, and his success will be a triumph for Pakistan’s mountaineering history as a whole.
Warm wishes