Mountains are calling, and SHE must go!

Northern areas of Pakistan are referred to as paradise on Earth and one must, for at least once in their lifetime, soak in the breathtaking sights, sounds, fragrances, and tastes they have to offer. Far easier said than done.

In a country where women are not safe on the streets, or even in their homes for that matter, travelling to those somewhat lawless highlands seems like a pipe dream of the vaguest degree. But all is not lost for women folk.

Geo.tv is fortunate to have found some passionate young women who, with the drive to challenge stereotypes, audaciously stepped out of the comforts of their homes and summitted those majestic mountains in the far-off lands.

Mountaineering is one of the unconventional professions, even for men. But when women choose to pursue the activity, it adds a unique thrill and sense of empowerment for them. This is the story of female mountaineers who, before topping mountains and peaks, surmounted their fears. These women have chosen a path that is not easy and they choose to stay on it nevertheless — each day after waking up.

Huma Tariq, also known as 'The North Drive', is one such woman who strives hard to travel all on her own. She spoke to Geo.tv and talked about taking up mountaineering as a career.

Explaining the reason why she chose to become a solo traveller, Tariq said: “I discovered my passion for exploration and adventure during my school days when I was just a fifth grader. I remember taking walks around the boundary wall of my school, and the experience of exploring my surroundings on my own was a thrilling one. I suppose you could say that I was a bit of a rebel even then."

"Fast forward to 2018, and I was living a typical corporate life as an advertiser. Although my job was well-paid, it was anxiety-inducing, and I felt stuck in the system. My relationship, too, seemed perfect on the surface, but I relied too heavily on material possessions for fulfilment.”

She further spoke about never having travelled up north before 2018.

"The very first trip was the result of a severe anxiety attack that I experienced at my workplace one day. After that experience, I continued to travel up north and each time I went there, my passion for travelling grew. But since I was stuck in a corporate cycle, I was hardly ever satisfied with my day job. The question of why I was spending the peak years of my life on somebody else’s dream was always at the back of my mind," the climber said.

One day, Tariq said, she was going through photographs from her adventures up north.

"I launched The North Drive, my Instagram blog. It was a turning point in my life, and the rest, as they say, is history. I became a full-time traveller, found a healthy community outdoors, and turned my passion into a profession," she shared with Geo.tv.

The young mountaineer was all about breaking stereotypes and surviving in an unconventional field, despite the numerous obstacles that came her way in this unconventional journey.

“But I believe it's essential to stay true to oneself and follow one's dreams regardless of what others may think. People have questioned my decision to travel alone as a woman, but I've learned to be confident in my abilities and trust my instincts," she said.

Tariq also touched upon some bitter anecdotes about harassment.

"Unfortunately, as a woman, harassment is something I've experienced since childhood, and it can have lasting effects on how I view the world. But instead of letting it consume me, I chose to learn and grow from those experiences," the mountaineer said, highlighting that she has developed a strong mindset over time and found ways to handle those situations more confidently.

"Even in Pakistan, where foreigners are welcomed with hospitality, there is still work to be done in terms of local women travelling freely and without hassle. As a female traveller, I've faced challenges in breaking stereotypes in an unconventional field, but I believe in following my dreams and being confident in my abilities," she added.

Tariq has learned to be aware of her surroundings, take necessary precautions and respect local cultures. Despite obstacles, she said her experiences have been amazing and she has met wonderful people.

Tariq was not the only climber Geo.tv met. Hafsa Asad, known as Khaandabadosh, runs on the adrenaline rushes that travelling gives her. She is equally passionate and in love with the mountains, and travels with her best friend — her backpack — in tow. Gender roles have never stopped Asad from doing what she dearly loves.

The young mountaineer talked about how she knew it was meant for her to explore the mountains.

"Since my childhood, I wanted to travel but never got a chance. Back in 2017, my university announced a trip to Hunza. I had a wish in my heart to go but I knew my parents wouldn’t allow it. Surprisingly they agreed only because it was a university trip, highly supervised by the faculty. So, I went and left my heart in the mountains," she said.

Asad knew this was what she wanted to do "again and again.”

“Being a media sciences student, we have been taught photography and videography, so I started my blog and YouTube channel. After posting my travel content online, I got so much appreciation that it made me unstoppable," she added.

The climber shared that when she began travelling and creating content as a traveller, very few women were doing it. But as a "pioneer" in the field, she had to face a lot of barriers initially.

"Parents did not understand what I wanted to do and why. People bashed me ad said it’s not okay for women to travel like that. They said I’m promoting something really bad, etc. But appreciation took over everything. The amount of love and support I got once people saw my travel film was incredible,” she told Geo.tv.

Other than solo travelling, ice sports are also not too common in our part of the world and are not easy for women to pursue due to physiological differences. However, Ramsha Hussain Khan, is pursuing her passion for ice sports — against all the odds. She was part of the first women’s team representing Sindh in National Winter Sports. She has won two medals recently, a Gold medal in Ice Figure Skating and a Silver medal in Ice Relay Race. But Khan is also an ardent solo traveller.

Talking about her passion, she told Geo.tv that she has been travelling ever since she was a child. She spoke about stepping out of her comfort zone by challenging herself to survive in extreme weather.

"I live in Karachi, where 40°C is normal, we are used to harsh heat and I wanted to see if I would be able to survive in an environment where the temperature falls to -23°C. When I was at Naltar, I saw my teammates getting sick because we are used to very different weather conditions.

"More than that, our bodies were also adjusting to change, and that transition period took all our efforts. However, we stood tall and didn’t let these hurdles get to us," she said, describing her experience.

As a woman residing in Pakistan, Khan said, she faced her fair share of difficulties.

"I have been harassed and been through a lot. But the best thing about my journey is that my family supported me through thick and thin. Because of them, I have been able to defeat my fears and move ahead. I have chosen a different path, and I know this is going to get harder, but I did not come this far only to come this far," the enthusiastic traveller said.

Millions of women are inspired by stories of resilience and passion for pursuing one's dreams. No matter how unsafe Pakistan is for women, they still manage to get up every day, put up a fight, break stereotypes and face the world with their heads up. And the tales shared by Huma, Hafsa, and Ramsha are only a few that we are lucky to discover.

Aleezeh Fatimah is a journalist based in Karachi. She tweets @dalchawalorrone