KARACHI: A Pakistani expedition has successfully reopened the Phargam An Pass (5,100 metres) in the Hindu Kush for the first time in 27 years, completing a crossing that linked the Laspur Valley in Upper Chitral with the Golain Valley in Lower Chitral.
Officials said the expedition, supported by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Culture and Tourism Authority (KPCTA), also marked the first successful ascent of the pass by women. The team navigated glaciers, steep snow slopes, loose rock and avalanche-prone terrain before descending into the Golain Valley.
Why is the reopening significant?
The expedition formed part of the KPCTA’s Tirich Mir Project, which aims to identify and document historic trekking routes while promoting sustainable adventure tourism in Upper Chitral.
Led by local guide Zamurd Khan, the team also rediscovered a memorial plaque dedicated to Austrian mountaineer Georg Kronberger, who died in the area in 1975. Officials said reopening the historic route is expected to boost mountaineering and trekking tourism while preserving the region’s exploration heritage.