Lahore – Naila Kiani, a daring and renowned mountaineer, continues to shine in the limelight with her remarkable achievements. She recently added another feather to her cap by receiving Sitara-e-Imtiaz, the highest civilian medal from the President of Pakistan on March 22 at Aiwan-e-Sadar.
Naila Kiani is a pioneer in the field of mountaineering and has achieved many milestones that set her apart. Notably, she is the first Pakistani female mountaineer to climb 10 peaks above 8,000 meters. Moreover, she stands alone as the only Pakistani woman to have scaled seven of these towering peaks in an incredible six-month time frame.
Its conquerors include the majestic peaks of Mount Everest (8,848 meters) in 2023, K2 (8,611 meters) in 2022, Lhotse (8,516 meters) in 2023, Nanga Parbat (8,126 meters) in 2023, Manaslu ( 8 1,623 meters), Annapurna (8,091 meters) in 2023, Broad Peak (8,051 meters) in 2023, Gasherbrum II (8,035 meters) in 2021, Gasherbrum I (8,080 meters) in 2022 and Cho Oyu (8,188 meters) in 2023.
“I am deeply honored and humbled to receive this prestigious award. Such recognition gives hope and confidence not only to me, but to all aspiring mountaineers. This recognition fuels my passion for mountaineering even more and I am inspired to continue to push the boundaries and strive for excellence in my future endeavours.”
Naila Kiani The devoted mother of two, who went from former aerospace engineer, banker and boxer to high-performance mountaineer, embodies the spirit of pursuing the extraordinary. Her courageous decision to scale the world’s highest mountains is a strong testament to the idea that with courage and hard work, any challenge can be overcome.
Abdul Razak Dawood, President of Bilquis and Abdul Razak Dawood Foundation (BARD) says, “We are extremely proud to have been a part of Naila Kiani’s extraordinary journey and wholeheartedly congratulate our BARD colleague on this well-deserved recognition. Her success in getting the Sitara-e-Imtiaz reflects her determination and perseverance in mountaineering.
Kiani’s determination and passion continue to inspire us all, and we look forward to seeing more individuals step forward to make their mark and light the way ahead. Together, let’s celebrate this great achievement and strive to create more opportunities to achieve greatness in the world of sports.”
Undeterred by past triumphs, Kiani has set her sights even higher, expressing her ambition to climb all 14 peaks above 8,000 meters in the next two years. Her determination and tireless commitment to her passion serves as an inspiration to budding climbers around the world.
BARD Foundation is an initiative undertaken by Bilquis and Abdul Razak Dawood to help talented individuals realize their potential as champions in their chosen fields. The aim of the foundation is to develop individuals with a special emphasis on skills.
