On Friday, Sirbaz Khan made history by becoming the first Pakistani to summit all 14 of the world’s 8,000-meter peaks. His remarkable achievement was completed with the ascent of Shishapangma, an 8,027-meter (26,335-foot) peak in Tibet, at approximately 1:30 pm PST. This milestone marks the culmination of a seven-year journey for the 36-year-old mountaineer from Hunza.
Khan’s accomplishment places him in an elite group of around 50 climbers worldwide who have conquered these formidable peaks, often called “eight-thousanders.” His journey began in 2017 with the ascent of Nanga Parbat, one of the world’s most dangerous mountains, standing at 8,126 meters (26,660 feet). This initial success set the stage for his ambitious mission to scale the world’s highest peaks.
In 2018, Khan reached the summit of K2, the second-highest mountain in the world at 8,611 meters (28,251 feet), without supplementary oxygen. Known for its deadly weather conditions and steep terrain, K2 is considered one of the most treacherous peaks, and Khan’s success solidified his status among the world’s elite mountaineers.
Khan continued to push his limits, becoming the first Pakistani to scale Lhotse, the world’s fourth-highest mountain at 8,516 meters (27,940 feet), in May 2019. Later that year, he conquered Broad Peak (8,051 meters) and Manaslu (8,163 meters), further demonstrating his exceptional endurance and skill.
Despite the challenges posed by the global COVID-19 pandemic, Khan’s determination remained unwavering. In April 2021, he summited Annapurna (8,091 meters), a peak with one of the highest fatality rates among the eight-thousanders. This achievement was particularly meaningful as it was Pakistan’s first major expedition to Annapurna following the death of legendary mountaineer Ali Sadpara, one of Khan’s mentors.
Khan’s momentum continued with the ascent of Mount Everest (8,849 meters) in May 2021, followed by leading an all-Pakistani team to the summit of Gasherbrum II (8,035 meters) in July 2021. In October 2021, he became the first Pakistani to scale Dhaulagiri (8,167 meters), bringing his total to nine eight-thousanders.
In 2022, Khan added Kangchenjunga (8,586 meters) and Makalu (8,481 meters) to his impressive record, achieving 11 of the 14 summits without supplementary oxygen. His climb of Gasherbrum I in August 2022 marked his 12th summit, and in October 2023, he reached the summit of Cho Oyu (8,188 meters).
Khan’s ability to repeatedly reach the top of the world’s highest peaks has brought immense pride to Pakistan and established him as a formidable force in the international mountaineering community.
“This isn’t just my victory,” Sirbaz said in a statement after reaching the summit of Shishapangma. “It is a moment of pride for Pakistan and all the mountaineers who have supported me throughout this journey.”
