Severe Weather Halts Operation to Retrieve Body of Climber Dr Asma Mushtaq from Spantik Mountain

The rescue operation to recover the body of Pakistani climber Dr Asma Mushtaq from Spantik Mountain in the Karakoram range has been delayed due to severe weather conditions, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar said on Sunday.

In a post on X, Tarar stated that high-altitude porters were expected to reach Camp-3 to retrieve Dr Asma’s body and bring it down to base camp. The rescue team nearly reached Camp-3 but was forced to turn back to Camp-2 amid heavy snowfall and strong winds.

The minister said the plan to bring the body to base camp has been affected by the adverse weather. A helicopter has been authorised for the operation, and coordination has been established between the Gilgit-Baltistan government and the Force Command Northern Areas (FCNA). Alternate arrangements are also in place.

“Whatever can be done in these circumstances, will be done,” Tarar said, adding that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is being kept updated on the situation.

Dr Asma Mushtaq, a 34-year-old UK-based doctor specialising in obstetrics and gynaecology, died on Thursday after suffering a high-altitude medical emergency while descending Spantik (also known as Golden Peak), a 7,027-metre peak. She had successfully reached the summit before the emergency occurred at around 6,400 metres. Her body remains near Camp-3.