ISLAMABAD: After contaminating the ecosystem on Earth’s surface, humans have now begun to pollute the hilltops as dozens of climbers of K2, the second-highest mountain in the world, leave their garbage behind after reaching the summit .Who will climb the K2 specifically to clean their rubbish if the climbers who go up to the vertical limits while bringing vital gear to the heights do not bring their waste down to base-point?
A record number of local and foreign climbers registered for the climb of K2 and for trekking on the Baltoro Glacier in 2022, and the number increased when their support crew and porters were added.This year, K2 was much more conducive to climbing and scaling. But when the climbing season ended, images of garbage and degradation at K2 filled social media and other online forums.
Although social media and environmental activists blamed the management of the Central Karakoram National Park (CKNP) for the pollution, Yasir Hussain, director of tourism and culture for Gilgit Baltistan, said that keeping K2 clean is a joint responsibility and “we cannot absolve climbers from their responsibilities who leave behind their waste after scaling the peak.
“According to him, the Gilgit Baltistan region accounts for approximately 90% of Pakistan’s mountaineering, and all Eight-Thousanders, with the exception of Nanga Parbat, are located at CKNP, the nation’s biggest park, which spans up to six districts.
According to Yasir Hussain, the park has a management system that organises a variety of events. No one is allowed to participate in any activity without permission. To walk or climb mountains in these locations, “all mountaineers must obtain authorization from the Gilgit Baltistan Government, Tourism Department.”
According to Yasir, this year’s K2 climbing and trekking records have been set by both domestic and foreign mountaineers. Climbing and trekking are both beneficial pursuits, but not at the expense of cleanliness and environmental preservation.
Despite having a moral obligation to protect the attractive and stunning location from garbage and pollution, climbers regrettably leave behind much of their junk, Yasir remarked.Read also click here.