Pakistani Woman Mountaineer Asma Mushtaq Dies During Descent from Spantik
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani mountaineer Dr Asma Mushtaq died after suffering a serious medical emergency while descending from Spantik in Gilgit-Baltistan, following a successful summit of the 7,027-metre peak.
According to the Alpine Club of Pakistan, 34-year-old Mushtaq successfully reached the summit of Spantik and was in good health at the time. She developed a serious high-altitude medical emergency at an elevation of around 6,400 metres during the descent.
Her mountain guide, Akbar Ali, and expedition guide, Muhammad Amin, immediately came to her assistance and provided help under extremely difficult conditions. Despite their efforts, she could not survive.
High-altitude medical emergencies can occur because of low oxygen levels and inadequate acclimatisation to extreme elevations, and can become life-threatening in remote mountainous terrain.
According to her social media profiles, Mushtaq was originally from Lahore and worked in the United Kingdom as a doctor specialising in obstetrics and gynaecology. She was also a passionate traveller, vlogger and mountaineer who regularly documented her expeditions online.
She had previously completed a successful winter ascent of the 4,076-metre Musa ka Musallah peak and had participated in expeditions in Rupal and Arandu. In a 2024 post seeking sponsorship for a K2 expedition, she described herself as a doctor and mountaineer.
Alpine Club of Pakistan Secretary General Ayaz Ahmed Shigri said Mushtaq was part of a five-member Pakistani women’s expedition team that successfully summited Spantik. The team also included Zoni Aslam, Zaba Shigri, Shama and Sohana.
Mountaineer Shehroze Kashif also paid tribute to the mountain guides who remained with Mushtaq and attempted to assist her despite the challenging conditions.
The Alpine Club of Pakistan, led by President Major General Irfan Arshad Khan, expressed condolences over her death and paid tribute to her courage and commitment to mountaineering. The club described her death as a major loss for her family and the mountaineering community.
