• PM directed following son of the mountaineer made an appeal.
• Asif is stuck at camp 4 with snow blindness.
• Shehbaz Sharif said immediate steps should be taken for safe return.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday directed Gilgit-Baltistan government and Army officials to launch rescue operation for the recovery of mountaineer Asif Bhatti stranded in Nanga Parbat.

The Prime Minister gave the directions following son of the mountaineer made an appeal to him on social media for the rescue of his father.

Shehbaz Sharif said immediate steps should be taken for the safe return of the mountaineer.

There are reports that Asif Bhatti is stranded at a height of 7500 meter.

Pakistan’s climber Asif Bhatti, who had proceeded for final summit push of the treacherous Nanga Parbat (8,126m) mountain was stranded with snow blindness, the Alpine Club of Pakistan (ACP) said on Monday.

“Asif is stuck at camp 4 with snow blindness at altitude 7,500-metre to 8,000-metre. He needs help,” ACP Secretary Karrar Haidri told APP.

According to Haidri, a number of outfits were attempting the peak and some of their members had conveyed the message that Asif was suffering from snow blindness.

“A helicopter will be needed to pick him up but for that he will have to come down to around 6,000-metre to 6,500-metre,” he added.

Asif along with renowned Pakistani mountaineer Lt Col (R) Dr Jabbar Bhatti, Dr Naveed, Saad Muhammad and Faheem Pasha had departed for the expedition a few days back. “His other team members have not yet begun their final summit push,” Haidri said.

With a death probability of 21%, Nanga Parbat continues to claim its place among the top five most dangerous mountains in the world. Till now 85 of the climbers have died while attempting it.