Sirbaz Khan Makes History as First Pakistani to Summit All 14 of the World’s 8,000-Metre Peaks

Islamabad — Pakistani mountaineer Sirbaz Khan has achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first Pakistani to summit all 14 of the world’s 8,000-metre peaks, a feat accomplished by only a select group of elite climbers worldwide.

Khan’s remarkable journey culminated on Friday when he scaled Shishapangma, an 8,027-metre peak in Tibet, without supplementary oxygen. This marked his 14th “eight-thousander,” placing him among the most accomplished high-altitude mountaineers globally.

Originally from Hunza, Khan began his quest to conquer the world’s highest peaks in 2017 with the successful ascent of Nanga Parbat, a dangerous 8,126-metre mountain. Over the years, he has tackled some of the world’s most challenging peaks, including K2 in July 2018 and Lhotse in May 2019, where he made history as the first Pakistani to summit the 8,516-metre giant.

In July 2019, Khan summited Broad Peak (8,051 metres) without the use of supplemental oxygen, a method that would define his future climbs. By September of that year, he had reached the summit of Manaslu in Nepal (8,163 metres), becoming the second Pakistani to do so.

Khan continued his record-breaking journey in 2021, becoming the first Pakistani to summit Annapurna (8,091 metres) in April, one of the most dangerous mountains in the world. The following month, he scaled Mount Everest, the highest peak on Earth, standing at 8,849 metres.

In July 2021, Khan led an all-Pakistani team to the summit of Gasherbrum II (8,035 metres), further solidifying his leadership in high-altitude mountaineering. By October of that year, he became the first Pakistani to summit Dhaulagiri (8,167 metres).