Selena Khawaja – Broad Peak Updates
Selena Khawaja was on Broad Peak this summer with the aim of being the youngest person to climb an 8,000m peak.
The 12 year old targeted this peak last year as a warm-up for Everest but Covid delayed those plans.
She was to climb with her father Yousaf, but he fell ill.
We followed her progress with this Diary…
(It is unknown if she has control of her own social media accounts)
On 29th July Climber Lotta Hintsa published this on her blog
“Here was a 12-year-old Pakistani-Canadian girl with her father. Dad got sick, left the girl alone in base camp and said ‘uphill carriers will pull you to the top’. Dad wanted the girl to set some world record. ”
“The girl said she doesn’t dare or know how to climb herself, so the plaintiffs pull her up.”
“A call was made to the consulate and it was said that the father was playing Russian roulette in the spirit of his daughter.”
The girl was picked up from the mountain, and Hintsa and Bowie try to influence that no similar situations be seen in the future.
There is an age limit for mountaineering in Nepal and China, but not in Pakistan. Hintsa says they plan to contact local authorities and ask for a change in the situation.
July 30th (replying to the above and other media reports)
- “I was going to go but my high altitude porter fell ill(he had a fever, sore throat and cough) and he was not given permission to go up.”
- “Whatever Mr.Khawaja does, I will summit an 8000er and make jealous burn and rot in their own fire.”
- “I’m an athlete with international fame, I know my rights and I know how to protect them and I have a team of lawyers to do so.”
- “It’s completely wrong. I was not alone but with full kitchen staff and my high porter with whom I was supposed to go to camp 3, not the summit. I had always been in high energy and good spirits and never wanted to go down. All summit bids were called off because of the weather.”
- “I’ll make sure that India loses its world record and all anti Pakistani mindset are thrown in extremely painful agony.”
@Angelab8848 @imranthaheem514 pic.twitter.com/EfCDPfsJ7J
— Selena Khawaja (@selena_khawaja) July 31, 2021
July 18th
“Selena Khawaja reached C2 (6200m) on Broad Peak as her rotation continues.
After spending a night here Selena will descend to BC tmrw morning.
As updated by her father, “Korean team shared spicy Korean soup with Selena which she enjoyed a lot at C2”
July 11th
Team Message
“In order to become the youngest person atop any 8000er, the 12 year old Selena Khawaja and her dad Yousaf Khawaja have reached Broad Peak basecamp. Weather is awesome and Selena is in excellent energy and in very high spirits. They will start rotations day after tomorrow.”
June 30th
“At Skardu airport, pumped to get expedition unicorn on its way!”
June 28th
“In Skardu, all set to leave for the mountains to summit Broad Peak and be the youngest mountaineer ever to climb an 8000meter peak. Please pray for my success as I try to make Pakistan Proud.”