Efforts to retrieve the body of Pakistani mountaineer Dr Asma Mushtaq from Spantik Mountain have been temporarily suspended after heavy snowfall and strong winds forced the recovery team to retreat.
Federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said high-altitude porters had been expected to reach Camp 3 and bring Mushtaq’s body down to base camp by Monday. However, deteriorating weather forced the team to turn back after reaching close to Camp 3.
The Alpine Club of Pakistan said Mushtaq’s body remains at an altitude of approximately 6,400 metres. The recovery team reached Camp 2 before heavy snowfall halted further movement, and members were advised to return to Base Camp and wait for a safer weather window.
A helicopter has also been authorised to support the retrieval operation, according to Tarar. Coordination is underway between the Gilgit-Baltistan government and Force Command Northern Areas, while alternate arrangements have also been prepared. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is being kept informed about the operation.
The recovery effort involves climbers from multiple teams and is being coordinated by Mushtaq’s expedition company alongside the Tourism Department, local authorities and the Alpine Club of Pakistan.
Mushtaq died after suffering a serious high-altitude medical emergency while descending from the 7,027-metre Spantik Mountain in the Karakoram range. According to the Alpine Club, she had successfully reached the summit in good health before experiencing the emergency at approximately 6,400 metres during her descent.
Her guides immediately attempted to assist her under extremely difficult high-altitude conditions, but she could not be saved.
Originally from Lahore, Mushtaq worked in Britain as a doctor specialising in obstetrics and gynaecology. Beyond medicine, she was a traveller, mountaineer and vlogger who documented her expeditions and experiences on social media.
Questions surrounding the circumstances of her death will also be examined. The Alpine Club of Pakistan said the circumstances of the incident, along with the expedition company’s conduct and response, would be investigated once the teams return safely and Mushtaq’s body has been recovered. Any necessary action would follow the findings.
For now, the immediate priority remains the safety of the recovery team. Extreme snowfall, strong winds and the altitude make an already difficult operation particularly dangerous, meaning further attempts will depend on a suitable weather window.
