Islamabad; Tazeen Akhtar / Asif Farooq; Serena Hotels Islamabad under its adventure diplomacy hosted a reception on 16th June 2021 in honor of Sirbaz Khan the mountaineer who scaled the tallest on earth Mount Everest in May 2021 this year. CEO Mr Aziz Bolani pledged on this occasion that Serena Hotels will continue supporting the Pakistani talent.
General Manager Serena Hotels Islamabad, Mr. Michel Andre Galopin, Mr. Hussain Odhwani and other officials of the hotels were also present.
Ambassadors of Indonesia, Norway, Canada, Poland, Morocco, Belgium and other countries were also invited. Large number of media representatives from press and tv channels covered the event.
The successful ascent of Mt. Everest by Pakistani Mountaineer Sirbaz Khan was feted at a high-profile reception by Serena Hotels on Wednesday evening. On 12th May 2021, Sirbaz had summitted the world’s tallest peak as part of “Mission 14”, his quest to become the first Pakistani to scale all 14 peaks over 8000 m around the world.
At the event, the phenomenal journey of Sirbaz Khan was highlighted and celebrated. Hailing from Hunza, he began climbing as a mountain guide and kitchen crew member with international climbing expeditions for over 11 years before becoming a professional mountaineer. He tends to use no supplemental oxygen, which is a further testament to his grit and talent.
Serena Hotels has been sponsoring Sirbaz on his expeditions under its Adventure Diplomacy community initiative that aims to encourage and support adventure sports in the Pakistan. Under this banner, Serena Hotels regularly sponsors a number of adventure sports including high altitude marathons, jeep rallies, skiing and mountaineering activities.
“This feat is a source of great pride for Pakistan and for Serena Hotels. Pakistani mountaineers and sportspeople have tremendous potential, however in order to achieve their lofty ambitions they need a supportive environment, for which we all must play our role,” commented Mr. Aziz Boolani, CEO Serena Hotels South and Central Asia, speaking on the occasion that was attended by a number of dignitaries including senior members of the diplomatic corps, journalists and socialites.
Mr. Boolani urged the Government and private sector to step forward and support Pakistani talent.
“I am proud of raising Pakistan’s flag on top of the world, for which I thank Allah SWT. My aim is to keep inspiring our mountaineering community by becoming the first Pakistani to scale the 14 highest peaks of the world,” commented Sirbaz as he announced his departure for his next mission to climb Gasherbrum 1 and Gasherbrum II in Pakistan’s Karakoram mountain range.
“Making an international name in mountaineering will help uplift and bring development to the remote areas of the Northern Areas. I dedicate my success to the support of the whole team including the high and low altitude porters, cooks, helpers and everyone from mountaineering community,” said Sirbaz, as he thanked Serena Hotels and other sponsors for their support.
Sirbaz summited Mt. Everest just 26 days after becoming the first Pakistani along with Abdul Joshi to ascend Mt. Annapurna, the tenth highest peak in the world, also in Nepal. His previous summits include Lhotse (8,516m) and Manaslu (8,163m) in Nepal and K2, Nanga Parbat (8,126m) and Broad Peak (8,051m) in Pakistan. He has dedicated his Mission-14 to the memory of his mentor and companion, Muhammad Ali Sadpara, who perished during a climbing expedition to K-2 earlier this year.
Serena Hotels has been supporting Sirbaz Khan on his ‘Mission Summit 14’. This was his fourth consecutive successful summit after K2 (8,611m), Nanga Parbat (8,126m) and Mount Lhotse (8,516m).
CEO Aziz Boolani says ” We have been supporting talent to promote adventure tourism where needed and try to bring diverse experiences to our community through our various initiatives.”
Sirbaz Khan achieved the milestone a day after the country’s youngest hiker Shehroze Kashif reached the summit but Sirbaz Khan has another feather in his cap by climbing another 8 thousander in Nepal before Everest. He is the first Pakistani to conquer the Annapurna peak. Further Sirbaz Khan surmounted it without oxygen.
He was basically a kitchen worker when he entered into practical life. He also served as porter to other mountaineers. Finally he reached to conclusion that he should try his capabilities and luck in mountaineering and he made it.
On 17th June 2021, today, he is leaving Islamabad to another adventure, that is Gasherbrum, in his own native territory Gilgit Baltistan. It is a remote group of peaks situated at the northeastern end of the Baltoro Glacier in the Karakoram mountain range. 
