Women mountain climbers from Pakistan, Iran reach K2 summit

By MUNIR AHMED
Associated Press

ISLAMABAD (AP) — A woman from Pakistan and another from Iran appear to be the first from their countries to have scaled K2, the world’s second-highest mountain and one of the most dangerous summits. A Pakistani mountaineering official says the pair were among several women who successfully reached K2′s peak on Friday. A second Pakistani woman scaled the summit minutes later. Pakistan’s prime minister and the U.S. Embassy congratulated the Pakistani climbers while Iran’s diplomatic mission congratulated the Iranian climber. Separately, an Afghan climber who was part of another group of mountaineers died on Thursday of a heart attack while attempting to scale K2. Only a few hundred climbers have successfully reached K2’s summit. Most deaths happen on its descent.