Renowned Pakistani mountaineer Iftikhar Hussain Sadpara has tragically lost his life following an avalanche on K2, the world’s second-highest mountain. A native of Skardu in Gilgit-Baltistan, Sadpara was part of an international expedition when the disaster struck on Friday afternoon.

The avalanche occurred at approximately 12:30 pm near Camp 1—about 500 meters above K2’s base camp—during a summit rotation. The team, consisting of Sadpara, two experienced Nepali climbers (Dawa Finjo Sherpa and Dawa Geljen Sherpa), and fellow Skardu native Niaz Ali, was descending from Camp 2 when the avalanche hit.

While two members of the group managed to reach Advance Base Camp unharmed and one sustained minor injuries, Sadpara sadly did not survive. His body was airlifted from the mountain by Pakistan Army Aviation helicopters on Saturday and returned to his family in Skardu for burial.

The operation, which also transported the injured climber Dawa Finjo Sherpa to a local government hospital for treatment, was carried out following an urgent appeal to the Alpine Club of Pakistan. The army’s General Headquarters approved the rescue mission on humanitarian grounds, and two helicopters were dispatched to assist.

K2, standing tall at 8,611 meters, is notorious for its treacherous slopes and unpredictable weather. Despite its risks, it remains a coveted destination for elite mountaineers. This season alone, authorities in Gilgit-Baltistan issued 175 climbing permits for the peak.

Sadpara’s death marks yet another somber chapter in Pakistan’s mountaineering history. Earlier this month, Czech climber Klára Kolouchová, 46, died after falling into a ravine while descending from Nanga Parbat’s Camp 4 due to health complications.

As the climbing season continues, the mountaineering community is mourning the loss of one of its own—a local hero whose courage and passion for the mountains left a lasting legacy.