Look closely at the picture of Aslam Lala and his son, Saddam Hussain. Their facial features may remind you of Europeans, but make no mistake—they are hardcore Pakistanis, sons of the mountains, and among the most accomplished mountaineers and high-altitude rescue experts of the Kalam Valley in Upper Swat.
In Hollywood, men with such extraordinary skills would be worth millions. Perhaps only an actor like Sylvester Stallone, the star of the 1993 film Cliffhanger, could truly appreciate the value of men who can look death in the eye while hanging from the world’s most unforgiving cliffs.
But in their own valley of Kalam, Aslam Lala and Saddam Kalami are simply known as tourist guides.That, perhaps, is the tragedy—and the beauty—of Pakistan.
For years, this father-and-son team has guided and supported numerous European mountaineering expeditions across the formidable Hindu Kush, a mountain range notorious for its treacherous terrain, deadly crevasses and unpredictable weather. They know these mountains not from maps, but from experience. They understand their moods, their dangers and their secrets.And then came a mission that seemed almost impossible.
A local Pakistani mountaineer, Syed Ali Shah, had lost his life high in the mountains. His frozen body lay on a steep cliff, partly buried beneath the snow. Despite the enormous resources available to the state, including the Army and civil administration, retrieving him from that unforgiving altitude proved almost impossible. Until Saddam Kalami volunteered.He did not ask what it would cost.He did not ask how dangerous it was.He simply decided that a fellow Pakistani would not be left behind on a mountain of death.
With the assistance of Army Aviation, the rescue team was airlifted into the freezing, sub-zero wilderness of Falakser, often described as the “Mini K2.” This operation became possible through the support of the Inspector General Frontier Corps, who responded to the civil administration’s request. The local Army Brigade also played a vital role, providing logistics, communications and the necessary support to make the mission possible.
But when all the helicopters, uniforms, communications and logistical arrangements were in place, there remained one thing that no institution could provide:A man willing to walk into death to bring another man home. That man was Saddam Kalami.
He and his team moved through the snow-covered mountains, crossing treacherous crevasses, deep ravines and slippery, near-vertical cliffs. Every step carried the possibility of disaster. Every movement had to be measured against the thin air, freezing temperatures and the merciless terrain.And then they found him.
In the photograph, Saddam can be seen using his snow hammer to carefully dig the frozen body of Syed Ali Shah out of the snow.It is more than a rescue photograph.It is a photograph of honour.
Syed Ali Shah was not merely another climber. He was the kind of mountaineer who believed that every member of an expedition must return safely to their families. He would be the first to climb and the last to descend, refusing to leave his fellow Pakistanis behind.
His final words on the summit were reportedly:”Pakistan Zindabad.”Now it is our turn to bring him home.
The body is expected to be brought back to Camp 1, from where it can be airlifted and returned to his family and friends with the dignity he deserves.
And when that coffin arrives, the nation should remember the man who gave everything to protect his fellow climbers—two of whom were from Rawalpindi.
His coffin should be wrapped in the green and white national flag.He should be laid to rest with full military honours, befitting a son of Pakistan who sacrificed his life in the highest and harshest battlefield of nature.
But there is another debt to be paid.Saddam Kalami and his heroic team must not disappear back into anonymity once this mission is over.These are the people we should celebrate.These are the people whose courage should inspire our children.
These are the people who remind a demoralised nation that courage, compassion and volunteerism are still alive in Pakistan.
The father and son who walked into the mountain of death should be brought to Peshawar on the very helicopter that carried his son Saddam into that unforgiving wilderness. They should be received with the honour normally reserved for national heroes.They deserve recognition.They deserve gratitude. And, in my humble view, they deserve the highest civil honour for gallantry and extraordinary service to the nation.
Because sometimes heroes do not wear medals.Sometimes they carry a snow hammer.Sometimes they walk where helicopters cannot.Sometimes they climb into the frozen silence of a mountain simply because a fellow Pakistani is waiting to come home.
Syed Ali Shah climbed for Pakistan.Saddam Kalami climbed to bring him home.That is not merely a rescue mission.That is Pakistan and its unity amongst it people whether from Sind, Balouchistan, Punjab or Khyber Pakhtunkhwa .Long Live Pakistan. 🇵🇰
