Bodies of three Pakistani climbers retrieved after nine years from Sarwali Peak in Azad Kashmir 

KHAPLU: A team of Pakistani climbers and porters has retrieved bodies of three local mountaineers who had gone missing on 6,326-meter Sarwali Peak in Azad Kashmir nine years ago, an official and volunteers said on Saturday.

Sarwali Peak, also known as Dabbar Peak, in Azad Kashmir’s Neelum District is believed to be one of the few unconquered mountain peaks in the region, with no confirmed ascent till date.

The missing climbers, Imran Junaidi, Usman Khalid and Khurram Shehzad, had embarked on a journey to summit the Peak in August 2015, but went missing while attempting a push on the right saddle of the mountain.

A comprehensive search operation was launched on September 7, 2015 to locate the missing climbers, but no trace of them could be found.

“The bodies of all three missing climbers were spotted last month by two trekkers,” Akhtar Ayoub, in-charge of the Azad Kashmir State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) in Neelum district, told Arab News. 

“A special rescue team was formed to retrieve the bodies and today, their bodies and remains were retrieved from the advance base camp side.”

Two dozen volunteers, including climbers, rescuers and porters, took part in the mission and brought down the bodies from a height of 16,000 feet, according to the official. The team departed on the mission on Sept. 3 and retrieved the bodies today, Saturday.

“We found the bodies near the advance base camp at the right saddle of the mountain,” Imran Arif, a member of the recovery team, told Arab News, adding that all three had been identified.

Arif said he and his fellow had spotted the bodies while trekking on the mountain on August 12.

“We preserved the bodies and came back to Kel Valley. Four days ago, we went for the rescue mission and today their dead bodies have been shifted to a hospital of Kel Valley,” he said.

“State Disaster Management Authority, district administration, Rescue 1122 and Alpine Club of Pakistan played a good role in this mission.”

Ikram Junaidi, bother of late climber Imran Junaidi, told Arab News they would now find a final resting place for his brother.

“Many attempts were made to find them in the past. But after nine years, we got news about the retrieval of dead bodies. Being a brother and a Muslim, it was our dream to offer funeral prayers for him. Now we will get a chance,” he said. “What matters is the quality of life instead of quantity. My brother went for expeditions on unclimbed peaks.”

Ikram said his mother had lost all hopes of finding Junaidi’s body, but she would now find solace in the fact that her son’s body had finally been recovered.