Just days after Qatari royal and accomplished mountaineer Sheikha Asma Al Thani conquered Nanga Parbat in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif appointed her as the country’s brand ambassador for mountains and tourism. Sharif also extended his congratulations on X (formerly Twitter), describing her feat as an inspiration.
Her achievement sends a powerful message of courage and determination and stands as a testament to the enduring friendship between Pakistan and Qatar,” his message stated.
🇵🇰 Majestic mountain ⛰️ calling!
I am pleased to appoint Her Highness Sheikha Asma Al Thani as the Brand Ambassador for Pakistan’s Mountains and Tourism.
My heartfelt felicitations to Her Highness on her recent feat of scaling Nanga Parbat. It is truly inspiring!
Her…
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) July 8, 2025
Who is Sheikha Asma Al Thani?
Sheikha Asma Al Thani, a keen mountaineer and a member of Qatar’s royal family, is the Director of Marketing and Communications in the Qatar Olympic Committee. She has paved the way for Qatari women in the field of sports and is honored to be the first Qatari woman to climb Mount Everest.
In addition to mountaineering, she also actively promotes refugees through her collaboration with the UNHCR. Looking back on her 2022 Everest ascent, she wrote, “As I was pushing my limits to reach the top, I couldn’t help but think of the millions of refugees who embark on dangerous journeys to reach safety. More than 100 million people around the world have been forced out of their homes by conflict, violence, and persecution. An alarming reality and a sad milestone we never wanted to reach.”
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She recently joined a milestone when she scaled the summit of Nanga Parbat, the infamous Killer Mountain in Pakistan’s Gilgit-Baltistan region, standing tall at 8,126 metres. Renowned for its hazardous terrain, it’s one of the most difficult mountains to climb in the world.
Prior to this, Sheikha Asma had already climbed towering peaks such as K2, Makalu, and Everest. In every expedition, she has hoisted the UNHCR flag to highlight the plight of the refugees. As she once said, “Every time I hoist the UNHCR flag on a summit, I think of the over 120 million people across the globe who’ve had to leave their homes.”
