ISLAMABAD, June 1 (APP): Pakistani mountaineer Colonel (retd) Abdul Jabbar Bhatti, who recently became the fourth Pakistani to summit the world’s highest peak, Mount Everest Thursday said he was proud to arrive back home after accomplishing the feat.

“I’m really happy to hoist the national flag atop Mount Everest. These are proud moments for me,” he told media after his arrival at Islamabad Airport from Kathmandu Nepal.

Bhatti along with a Nepali mountaineer encountered difficulty in
climbing down due to a lack of oxygen on base camp IV from where they were rescued and taken to base camp II.

He underwent one-week treatment at a hospital at Kathmandu. An accomplished mountaineer, he has been able to survive the merciless high altitude environments in the Death Zone above 8000 metres for over four days, much without oxygen, which shows his dogged determination, courage and bravery.

“The way I was assisted by the people there is indescribable,” he added.

Bhatti, who himself managed the finances of his Rs six million trips said he was thankful to the people of Pakistan as right from the outset of his voyage they had been praying for his success and safe return.

It is pertinent to mention here that Bhatti has successfully scaled Broad Peak (8,051 metres high) in 1985; Gasherbrum 2 (8,035m) in 1986 and Spantik Peak (7,027m) in 2012.

While prior to him , Pakistani mountaineers Nazir Sabir, Hasan Sadpara and Samina Baig conquered Mount Everest.