Pakistan Ministry of Defense provision a helicopter for aerial search of the missing climbers Sarwali Peak, Azad Kashmir
By.Asghar Ali Mubarak
Islamabad It is clarified that the ill-fated mountaineering expedition to Mt Sarwali (6,326 m) situated in Neelum Valley, Azad Kashmir (Southwestt of Nanga Parbat) was neither organized by Alpine Club of Pakistan (ACP) nor ACP was aware of this Expedition till M/S Ibex and other individuals intimated ACP about missing of the three climbers in the evening of 7 September 2015. This was an exclusively private expedition organized and led by Mr Imran Junaidi and comprised of four other members (as learnt later).On intimation, ACP immediately launched a Search and Rescue mission under the leadership of Mr Saad Tariq Siddiqi, ACP Vice President which left Islamabad on 8 September for the mountain area via Kel, Neelum valley. On ACP’s request, Ministry of Inter Provincial Government also approached Ministry of Defence for provision of a helicopter for aerial search of the missing climbers. The ACP also requested Directorate of Military operations through ISPR to facilitate helicopter rescue. However, on Mr. Abdul Jabbar Bhatti, an imminent mountaineer, former ACP Vice President, a helicopter for aerial search was provided by Pakistan Army through kind courtesy of the Corps Commander, Rawalpindi which extensively scanned and searched each side and slope of the mountain for over five hours. This helicopter search failed to find any clue of the missing climbers.Members of the ACP ground search party who were joined by another search party from M/S Ibex reached mountain base camp on 9 September and after searching the glacier and lower mountain side returned back on 12 September. In the meantime another search team under Lt Col (Retd) Dr Jabbar Bhatti left for the mountain on 10 September. ACP also requisitioned services of the eminent Pakistani mountaineer Hassan Sadpara, who flew Islamabad from Skardu on 11 September and joined the Search party. He was also later joined by M/S Zahid Rajput and Sharif from Skardu.Due to onset of bad weather and heavy snowfall in the area all search parties have now left the mountain base camp and are returning back to Islamabad. ACP has also requested Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPERCO) to provide Satellite images of the mountain on the last contact day of the Climbers which may assist the ground search teams to find clue of the missing mountaineers.
President, Secretary and all members of Executive Council of ACP wish to express their deep concern over missing of these climbers. ACP plans to continue launching Search Operations in the area soon as the weather permits. However, ACP once again cautions all youth attempting to climb mountains to undergo the required mountaineering training and intimate their plans to ACP for technical advice and coordination before venturing into any climbing activity.
