ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Qamar Javed Bajwa are personally following developments regarding missing K2 mountaineers including Muhammad Ali Sadpara, ARY NEWS reported quoting Special Assistant to PM on Overseas Pakistanis Zulfi Bukhari.
In a message posted on his Twitter account, Zulfi Bukhari said that Prime Minister Imran Khan and COAS Qamar Javed Bajwa are concerned and personally following all developments regarding the missing mountaineers.
PM @ImranKhanPTI & COAS Gen Qamar Bajwa are concerned and personally following all developments regarding our missing mountaineers. High alt porters & Lama helis will restart search at the crack of dawn.
Prayers needed from everyone for their safe return!#k2winterexpedition2021— Sayed Z Bukhari (@sayedzbukhari) February 6, 2021
He further said that high altitude porters and Lama helicopters will restart the search at the crack of dawn. “Prayers needed from everyone for their safe return!”
In another Tweet hours before, Zulfi Bukhari said that search and rescue teams were actively looking for Ali Sadpara, John Snorri and JP Mohr.
Search & rescue teams are actively looking for Ali Sadpara,John Snorri & JP Mohr. Weather conditions aren’t favourable so it’s not an easy mission. We have support of Pakistan Army and will be doing everything possible to get them home safely.
Keep praying Pakistan!#K2winter2021 pic.twitter.com/lFjGkGs9mi— Sayed Z Bukhari (@sayedzbukhari) February 6, 2021
“Weather conditions aren’t favourable so it’s not an easy mission,” he said and added “We have [the] support of Pakistan Army and will be doing everything possible to get them home safely. Keep praying Pakistan!”
Earlier in the day, it was reported that Pakistani mountaineer Muhammad Ali Sadpara — along with climber from Iceland John Snorri, is reported to be missing during his winter ascent on K2 and contact with the 3-member expedition has not been established for the last 25 hours.
Read More: Nation asked to pray for safe recovery of Ali Sadpara, other K2 climbers
The climbers went missing while returning to the basecamp 4, while Sajjid Sadpara reached basecamp 3 last night.
A rescue operation has now been launched to locate the missing climbers. Two helicopters of the Pakistan Army rescue team are taking part in the operation.
Sadpara along with his team was on a mission to summit the mountain in winter without oxygen.