The mission to recover the body of Pakistani mountaineer Asma Mushtaq from Spantik Mountain has been temporarily stopped due to severe weather. Federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar shared the update on Sunday.
High-altitude porters were expected to reach Camp 3, recover the body and bring it down to base camp by Monday. However, the team had to turn back to Camp 2 after heavy snowfall and strong winds made further progress impossible.
A helicopter has been authorised to support the retrieval operation. Coordination is underway between the Gilgit-Baltistan government and the Force Command Northern Areas. Tarar said every possible effort is being made under the current conditions and that alternate arrangements are also ready. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is being kept fully informed about the situation.
The Alpine Club of Pakistan confirmed that Asma Mushtaq’s body remains at approximately 6,400 metres. The recovery team reached Camp 2 before operations were halted. Officials advised the team to return to base camp and wait for a suitable weather window.
The recovery effort is being coordinated by Mushtaq’s expedition company together with the Tourism Department, local government and the Alpine Club of Pakistan. Climbers from different teams are also taking part in the operation.
Once the teams are safely down and the body is recovered, the Alpine Club of Pakistan will fully investigate the circumstances of her death and the response of the expedition company. Any required action will follow the findings of that investigation.
Asma Mushtaq died after suffering a serious high-altitude medical emergency while descending from the 7,027-metre Spantik Mountain in the Karakoram range. She had successfully reached the summit in good health. The emergency occurred at around 6,400 metres during the descent.
Her mountain guides, including Akbar Ali, immediately provided assistance under extremely difficult conditions. The Alpine Club of Pakistan expressed deep condolences to her family, friends and the wider mountaineering community.
Originally from Lahore, Asma Mushtaq worked in Britain as a doctor specialising in obstetrics and gynaecology. Away from her medical career, she was a passionate traveller, vlogger and mountaineer who shared her expeditions on social media.
The recovery team continues to wait for better weather so the Asma Mushtaq recovery mission can resume safely.
