Who is Naila Kiani? Pakistani mountaineer conquers Kanchenjunga

Pakistani mountaineer Naila Kiani has made history again. On Friday night, she reached the summit of Mount Kanchenjunga in Nepal. The mountain stands at 8,586 meters and is the third highest in the world.

This climb marks a major milestone for Kiani. She has now climbed 12 out of the 14 highest mountains in the world, all over 8,000 meters. With this, she becomes the first Pakistani woman to achieve this record.

A Tough Climb in Harsh Conditions

Naila began her final summit push in the evening. She climbed through sub-zero temperatures, heavy snow, and strong winds. Despite the risks, she reached the top overnight.

Speaking during her descent, Kiani said: “This summit is more than a personal achievement. It’s a message to every girl and woman in Pakistan and around the world — you are stronger than you realize.”

Support and Recognition

Her expedition was supported by the BARD Foundation, a project by Bilquis and Abdul Razak Dawood. Abdul Razak Dawood praised her, saying: “What Naila has achieved is historic. Her determination reflects the values we believe in.”

A Multi-Talented Woman

Naila is not just a mountaineer. She is an aerospace engineer, banker, competitive boxer, mother of two, and co-founder of an AI startup. She was earlier awarded the Sitara-i-Imtiaz, one of Pakistan’s highest civilian honors.

She also leads projects to clean mountain routes and supports humanitarian causes.

A National Hero

The mountaineering community praised her for this achievement.
Major General Irfan Arshad and Abu Zafar Sadiq from the Alpine Club of Pakistan (ACP) said: “She is a role model for every Pakistani, especially for women in sports.”

Karrar Haidri, Secretary of ACP, added: “This is not just a summit. It’s a proud moment for Pakistan. We salute her bravery and hard work.”

12 Summits and Still Going

So far, Kiani has summited these 12 “eight-thousanders”:
Everest, K2, Broad Peak, Nanga Parbat, Gasherbrum I, Gasherbrum II, Annapurna, Lhotse, Manaslu, Makalu, Cho Oyu, and now Kanchenjunga.

She now has two peaks left to complete all 14: Shishapangma and Dhaulagiri.