The sky is not the limit

The late Mohammad Ali Sadpara might have been dancing up in the heavens while watching his son Sajid Sadpara scale the world’s highest peak Mount Everest without supplemental oxygen. By doing so, Sajid has made history and become the first Pakistani to climb Everest without supplemental oxygen. In 2021, Mohammad Ali Sadpara set out on the same mission. But before he could reach the top, he got hit by an avalanche and remained missing for days. Rescue operations were started, and the entire nation prayed for his safety. However, things turned out to be worse and the avalanche proved fatal for Ali. Given this context, Sajid’s feat is both laudable and emotional. Sajid has climbed at least four more high mountains without oxygen or Sherpa assistance, and he is determined to climb all the 14 eight-thousanders in the world.

While Sajid’s achievement has made news, it is also important to pay attention to the problems mountaineers face in the country, including the life of sherpas who often slip into oblivion. Mountaineers from Pakistan often lack proper protective gear and other equipment that can help in their journeys. There are so many horror stories buried in the mountains. The Sadpara family started its journey as porters for foreign clients, carrying their loads as they make record after record under their name. Later, they started climbing as mountaineers and bought gear from a second-hand market in Skardu. Like the Sadparas, there are many Pakistani mountaineers that rarely get the spotlight. Tributes were given to the late Sadpara only after his posts went viral on social media platforms. For years, porter-turned-mountaineers keep up with the mission without any acknowledgment or praise at the national level.

The government of Pakistan must honour Sajid Sadpara and ensure that the world knows about him. The sports authorities need to allocate sufficient funds for the training of mountaineers and other needs. Sajid has shown that he has the potential to set great records. The government should ensure that he is physically fit to achieve his target and must provide him with a medical team so that he can focus on his training in a more efficient manner. It is a sad truth that, apart from cricket, the government hardly focuses on the country’s athletes. Their years of hard work, failures and reattempts remain a personal matter. They only get some recognition if they achieve something incredibly big. It is now time to extend as much support as possible for this individual mountaineer and to set up training academies for young mountaineers who wish to explore the rarely explored world of killer mountains.