GILGIT: A seven-member international expedition, along with a sixmember rope-fixing team, successfully summited Nanga Parbat (8,126 metres) on Thursday, marking the first successful ascent of an 8,000metre peak in Pakistan during this summer`s climbing season.

The summer climbing season in Gilgit-Baltistan typically begins in midJune and continues until mid-August, with several foreign expeditions currently attempting to scalethe region`s high-altitude peaks.

The Seven Summit Treks expedition team comprised Tao Hu (China), Antonina Samoilova (Ukraine), Mindaugas Satkauskas (Lithuania), Dawa Sherpa, Dendi Sherpa, Lakpa Temba Sherpa (Nepal), and Abbas AliMehdi(Pakistan).

Earlier, a six-member rope-fixing team from Seven Summit Treks successfully fixed ropes to the summit. The team included Mingtemba Sherpa, Pasang Dukpa Sherpa, Dawa Rinji Sherpa, and Pasang Nurbu Sherpa of Nepal.

In a statement issued onThursday, Seven Summit Treks congratulated the entire Nanga Parbat Expedition Team on the successful ascent, describing it as the first successful summit of an 8,000metre peak during the summer season.

Renowned Nepali climber and Seven Summit Treks owner Chhang Dawa Sherpa also congratulated the team on their successful ascent.

Meanwhile, a fourmember Italian expedition has opened a new route on the Southeast Face of K7 (6,934m) in Gilgit-Baltistan. However, the climbers were forcedto abandon their summit attempt approximately 350 metres below the top due to dangerous snow and ridge conditions.

Despite not reaching the summit, the team completed a demanding 1,600metre big wall climb over six days.

The expedition comprised Matteo Della Bordella, Mirco Grasso, Luca Ducoli, and Giacomo Mauri. The team arrived at base camp on June 3 and launched their attempt on June 11.

In an Instagram post, team leader Matteo Della Bordella wrote: `Six days on the wall where we gaveall of ourselves: soul and heart for an adventure that will stay inside us forever. A rollercoaster of emotions, 30 pitches, including steep vertical ice, mixed climbing, precarious hooks, and difficult aid climbing.

`From June 24 to 29, we climbed 1,600 metres up the huge southeast face of K7. At about 6,600 metres, we reached the southwest ridge and joined the route established by the Japanese first ascent team in 1984.

`Our dream was obviously to climb the final 350 metres and reach the summit of K7, but we hadto give up because of excessive snow and extremely dangerous ridge conditions, one section of which collapsed before our eyes. We returned to base camp extremely satisfied. We are all safe and still have dreamy eyes after this incredible journey.

The expedition was sponsored by the Italian Alpine Club.

The tourism department said 31 mountaineering permits and 39 trekking permits have so far been issued to foreign visitors for the current summer season. Permit issuance will continue until Aug 1.