Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has appointed Qatari royal and elite mountaineer Sheikha Asma Al Thani as the country’s Brand Ambassador for Mountains and Tourism, following her historic summit of Nanga Parbat.
The announcement came shortly after Sheikha Asma became the first Qatari woman to scale the 8,126-metre peak, which is located in Pakistan’s Gilgit-Baltistan region and is known as one of the world’s most dangerous.
Her appointment is seen as both a diplomatic gesture and a strategic move to promote Pakistan’s mountain ranges as a global destination for high-altitude adventure.
In a statement posted on social media platform X, Sharif praised Sheikha Asma’s achievement as a “powerful message of courage and determination” and a symbol of the enduring ties between Pakistan and Qatar.
“I am pleased to appoint Her Highness Sheikha Asma Al Thani as the Brand Ambassador for Pakistan’s Mountains and Tourism,” he wrote. “Her recent achievement of summiting Nanga Parbat is truly inspiring. It stands as a testament to resilience and showcases the immense potential of Pakistan’s mountain tourism.”
Known for its treacherous conditions, Nanga Parbat has long held the ominous nickname “Killer Mountain.” Just last week, Czech mountaineer Klára Kolouchová, 46, died during an expedition on the same peak.
For Sheikha Asma, the summit marked her ninth successful ascent of the world’s 14 peaks over 8,000 metres.
“Alhamdulillah, Nanga Parbat. My ninth 8000er and one of the toughest climbs I’ve faced,” she wrote on Instagram. “This mountain tested me in ways I didn’t expect… a constant reminder of how fragile life truly is.”
“There was surrender, and there was strength I didn’t know I still had. I climb not just to reach summits, but to return to what matters,” she added.
