Pakistani mountaineer Asma Mushtaq has died after experiencing a serious medical emergency at high altitude while descending from Spantik, a 7,027-metre peak in Pakistan’s Karakoram range.
According to the Alpine Club of Pakistan, Mushtaq successfully reached the summit and was reportedly in good health at the time. However, her condition deteriorated during the descent when she was at an altitude of around 6,400 metres.
Her mountain guides immediately attempted to assist her and respond to the emergency, but their efforts could not save her. She died while making her way down from the summit.
Mushtaq was originally from Lahore and was reportedly based in the United Kingdom, where she worked as a doctor specialising in obstetrics and gynaecology. Alongside her medical career, she had developed a strong interest in mountaineering and had taken part in several demanding expeditions in Pakistan.
Her previous achievements included challenging climbs in some of the country’s mountainous regions, including a winter ascent of Musa ka Musallah. Her experience in high-altitude expeditions made her a notable figure among Pakistani mountaineering enthusiasts.
Spantik, also known as Golden Peak, is one of Pakistan’s prominent high-altitude mountains and attracts climbers from around the world. Despite advances in climbing equipment and safety practices, extreme altitude can create serious and sometimes life-threatening medical risks.
Mushtaq’s death has brought renewed attention to the dangers faced by climbers even after successfully reaching a mountain summit. The descent can be particularly demanding because of exhaustion, rapidly changing weather and the effects of extreme altitude.
Her passing is a tragic loss for Pakistan’s mountaineering community and for those who knew her through her medical and climbing careers.
