Shehroze Kashif, the 20-year-old mountaineer from Pakistan who became the youngest person to summit the world’s second-highest mountain, K2, is set to break yet another record after departing for Nepal on Thursday night.
Shehroze has announced his ambitious goal of becoming the world’s youngest climber to summit all 14 peaks above 8,000 metres, after being bid farewell by his parents and other supporters and family members. He has already climbed 10 8000m peaks, making him the world’s youngest climber to do so.
He left for Nepal with the intention of climbing Annapurna 8091 m and Dhaulagiri 8167 m. After a successful summit, he will only need to climb two more peaks (Shishipangma and Choyou) to become the youngest climber to reach all 14 peaks.
Mr Kashif Salman, Shehroze’s father who is his staunch supporter said, “I always say Shehroze is a gifted human and Allah has blessed him with powers so he can do extraordinary things.”
Shehroze’s mother, who was also evident at the airport to see him off and was clearly emotional said that when asked during his K2 Summit to arrive back and asked, you don’t miss home? he used to show me the mountains and would say, this is my home mum”. She wished her son the best and stated that he will make Pakistan proud.
The 14 peaks, also known as the Eight-thousanders, are a group of mountains that rise higher than 8,000 metres (26,247 feet). Only a few climbers have successfully summited all of these mountains, which are regarded as the most difficult and dangerous in the world.
Shehroze’s determination, passion, and skill have inspired young mountaineers all over the world. He believes that with hard work and dedication, anyone, no matter how big or small, can achieve their dreams.
Shehroze stated about his upcoming challenge, “I am 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’s world-record ascent will draw international attention to Pakistan while also highlighting the country’s natural beauty and diverse landscapes. His achievement will motivate a new generation of mountaineers and adventurers to scale the world’s highest peaks.
Shehroze is also raising funds for his expedition through a GoFundMe campaign.(https://gofund.me/f102b06b)
