ISLAMABAD: Pakistani climber Asad Ali Memon has scaled Mount Kilimanjaro within 24 hours, the Pakistani high commission in Tanzania said on Tuesday, setting a new record for traversing the highest mountain in Africa and the highest single free-standing mountain in the world.
Kilimanjaro stands at 5,895 meters (19,341 feet) above sea level and about 4,900 meters (16,100 ft) above its plateau base.
Memon wrote on his Twitter page on Tuesday: “Alhumdulillah, I became the only Asian & Pakistani to climb #Kilimanjaro in less than 24hours. It took complete 20hours to summit and return back to the gate.”
Feb 16 2021: Alhumdulillah, I became the only Asian & Pakistani to climb #kilimanjaro in less than 24hours.
It took complete 20hours to summit and return back to the gate.#kilimanjaro #pakistan #record pic.twitter.com/fICUJ2ilWN— AsadAliMemon (@asadmnpak) February 16, 2021
“Pakistani young climber Asad Ali Memon reached the Mweka gate (finish point) at midnight (February 15-16 night) after climbing Uhuru peak of Mt. Kilimanjaro, in United Republic of Tanzania within 20 hours,” the Pakistan embassy in Tanzania said in a statement.
“He had started from the Umbwe Gate (start point) very early morning on February 15, 2021 and taken the most challenging route to the summit. His mission to traverse the summit and return within one day (24 hours) has been achieved well within the time limit despite being a snowy and rainy weather during the day.”
The statement added: “He has added a new feather to his mountaineering achievements at a young age of 23.”
News of Memon’s achievement comes just weeks after Pakistan’s most celebrated climber, Muhammad Ali Sadpara, 45, and his two expedition members, John Snorri, 47, of Iceland, and Juan Pablo Mohr, 33, of Chile, went missing while trying to complete a winter ascent of K2, the world’s second tallest mountain.
Earlier in January, a team of 10 Nepali climbers made history by becoming the first to ever scale K2 in winter.
