Anniversary of first Terich Mir summit: Women trekkers leave for base camp

CHITRAL: To celebrate the 75th anniversary of the first summit of Terich Mir, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has launched a series of events aimed at promoting adventure tourism in the region, including a women-only trekking expedition to the base camp.

A group of 16 female trekkers from across Pakistan has been selected to trek to the base camp of Terich Mir, the highest peak in the Hindu Kush mountain range, under the supervision of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Tourism Department. The women, representing diverse regions such as Chitral, the Kalash community, Gilgit-Baltistan, Balochistan, Islamabad and other major cities, were officially flagged off from a hotel here today.

“This is a historic moment,” said Bibi Fouzia, member of the Board of Directors for the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Culture and Tourism Authority. Fouzia added that after male trekkers were given the chance to reach Terich Mir’s base camp in previous years, it was essential to ensure that women were also offered the same platform. The selected group of 16 women was chosen from over 100 applicants nationwide, marking a significant step toward inclusive tourism development. Among the participants is one woman from the indigenous Kalash community.

Officials said that the increased focus on Terich Mir and the Hindu Kush range would not only attract local and international climbers in the future but also boost the local economy by creating tourism-related opportunities for the people of Chitral.