Pakistani mountaineer Naila Kiani on Saturday became the first Pakistani woman to summit 11 peaks over 8,000 meters following scaling Makalu, Nepal’s world’s fifth-highest peak at 8,485 meters.
Naila Kiani successfully reached the summit at approximately 8:50 am (PST). In a heartfelt statement, she expressed profound gratitude towards her fellow countrymen for their prayers and good wishes. Additionally, she acknowledged Sherpa Gelgen Dai from Imagine Nepal, whose indispensable support throughout the climb was pivotal to her success.
Previously, Kiani was the first Pakistani woman to climb all of Pakistan’s 8,000-meter peaks and the only woman to have climbed 10 eight-thousanders.
Beyond her mountaineering exploits, Kiani is an accomplished aerospace engineer and a mother of two. She pursued her education at the University of London and has held the position of associate vice president at a UK-based multinational bank.
Her significant contributions to mountaineering and dedication to social causes have earned her the Sitara-e-Imtiaz, Pakistan’s third-highest civilian honour.
