ISLAMABAD, Apr 17 (APP): Mountaineer Shehroze Kashif’s parents feel elated at their son’s latest accomplishment in Nepal wherein on Monday he along with compatriot Naila Kiani and other members of Seven Summit Trekking team successfully ascended the 8,091-metre Mt. Annapurna 1, the 10th highest peak in the world.
The 20-year-old Shehroze is now the youngest person in the world to have summited 11 peaks above 8000-metre.
“It is a remarkable achievement that barely after six months of his spinal surgery he is standing tall on the 10th highest mountain of the world,” Shehroze’s father, Kashif Salman told media here.
Shehroze, who is also known as ‘Broad Boy’, underwent surgery for a torn disc that was affecting his spinal movements in September, last year. At that time, he had also shared the development with his fans on Facebook, stating that he had been “diagnosed with a torn L5-S1 disc. This disc acts as a shock-absorber to protect the vertebrae during spinal movements.”
Last month, while leaving Lahore for Nepal for the Annapurna 1 expedition, he had announced an ambitious goal of becoming the world’s youngest climber to summit all 14 peaks above 8,000 meters. Prior to Annapurna, the curly-haired mountaineer has scaled 11 peaks and now only three mountains (Dhaulagiri, Shishipangma and Choyou) are left to earn him the title of the youngest climber to summit all 14 x 8000m.
“I always say Shehroze is a gifted human and Allah has blessed him with powers so he can do extraordinary things,” Kashif Salman, who is his son’s staunch supporter of mountain expeditions said.
Expressing his feelings on Shehroze’s Annapurna summit he said: “At one point it seemed that his carrier was over but the way he overcame the obstacles and challenges, he faced after being with a dislocated backbone is quite amazing. It is a clear message that it’s not over until it’s over,” he added.
Shehroze’s mother, who had seen off her son at the airport for the Annapurna expedition, recalled that when during his K2 and other expeditions she would ask him to come back home, he exhibited a great love for the mountains. “Whenever I would ask him, don’t you miss the home? He would show me the mountains and say, ‘this is my home mom’.”
She expressed the hope that her son would live up to the billing and soon achieve the feat of climbing all the above 14,000m peaks.
The 14 peaks, also known as the eight-thousanders, are a collection of mountains rising above 8,000 metres (26,247 feet). These mountains are regarded as the most difficult and dangerous in the world, with only a few climbers having successfully summited all of them.
Shehroze’s perseverance, passion, and skill have made him an inspiration to young mountaineers all over the world. He believes that anyone, no matter how big or small, can achieve their dreams with hard work and dedication.
“I’m determined to achieve this goal and bring honour to my country. I want to inspire young people to pursue their dreams and passions, no matter how difficult they may appear,” Shehroze stated about his challenge.
Shehroze’s world-record ascent will not only bring international attention to Pakistan but will also highlight the country’s natural beauty and diverse landscapes. His accomplishment will inspire a new generation of mountaineers and adventurers to climb the world’s tallest peaks.
The young mountaineer has also launched a fundraising campaign on ‘GoFundMe’ for his expeditions.
