KATHMANDU, Nepal-In a bid to pay tribute to the slain Chinese Mountaineer on behalf of the Pakistani climber communities and to lessen the sour relation between the two countries following the attack of the international mountaineers at the base camp of world’s 9th tallest Mountain Nanga Parbat by Pakistani Tallaiwan, an armed outfit waging war in Pakistan since a decade, the two countries are set to launch joint Pak-China expedition to 7,546 m Mt Muztagh Ata, situated at 180km from Pak-China border at Khunjerab Pass in Gilgit-Baltistan.
The expedition comprises of four members from each side, has been taken as more significant after the incident at Nanga Parbat Diamer Base Camp on June 22, 2013 where 10 foreign mountaineers including, a Nepali were shot dead by the terrorists. Eight Nepalese survived the attack as they were engaged in fixing the rope above base camp while two Chinese and a Pakistani were among slain in attack.
The joint expedition, managed by Alpine Club of Pakistan (ACP) and Chinese Mountaineering Association (CMA) is also aimed to pay tribute to the slain Chinese mountaineers on behalf of the Pakistani mountaineering community and revive friendship with the Chinese Mountaineering Association.
The expedition coincides with the trip of Pakistani newly elected Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to China. The three members of ACP team have left Islamabad for Taxkorgan and Kashgar, an autonomous region of Xinjiang in China, Friday.
The Pakistani side will cross over the Pak-China border at Khunjerab Pass on July 7, and then start summiting Mt Muztagh Ata on July 9.
The joint team is likely to stay on Mt Muztagh Ata till July 27th and is expected to return back home by August 1, 13, international news agencies reported.
