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Adventure athlete Samar Khan is breaking barriers and she'll continue to do so, with or without support

Adventure athlete Samar Khan is breaking barriers and she'll continue to do so, with or without support

She says she is the first woman to reach the K2 basecamp on a bike and she's not slowing down anytime soon.
Updated 20 Aug, 2021

Samar Khan says she is the first woman to reach the K2 basecamp on a bicycle. As an athlete, she has a lot of firsts under her belt — she's the first Pakistani to summit the 6,250-metre Burbucho peak in Shigar's Arandu and Mount Kilimanjaro on a bike.

News of her feat was shared on social media and she was congratulated by the National IT Board as well.

She said she did the journey in parts. It is not possible to bike the entire journey due to the terrain.

Khan documented her journey to the basecamp on social media but her reasoning for doing so was more than sharing the news with her followers.

When Khan was learning about mountain biking (MTB), there was no one to teach her. One of the biggest hurdles I faced was having no MTB expert or coach in Pakistan, so I learned from the internet or international athletes I had befriended, she told Images.

"Freedom of travelling on two wheels was the biggest push for me," she said. "On a bicycle, you can explore the mountains. I'm from a mountainous area myself so I really love the mountains," Khan explained. Biking has groomed her, transformed her life and helped her become a better version of herself.

She won't become a coach just yet, because according to her, she's not at the level where she can teach anyone yet. "If you want coaching and sports in Pakistan, you need to invest in the individuals already in the sport and get them to that level. If they’re at this level without any support imagine what they would be able to do with government support," she said, echoing calls made by many people for the government to support its athletes.

"If we are brought to this level and are able to represent our country abroad, we can come back and give something to our community," she said. Right now we're facing hurdles and hardships, Khan explained. "We face criticism and harassment without any support."

How can we think of grooming the future generation and the growth of sports in the country yet, she asked. "You need to invest in one generation at least."

Promoting sports is a big reason why she's so active on social media. "I am trying my best to post on social media platforms and post videos, what I have learnt, what my experiences have been and where I have been able to travel to," she explained.

Khan said that adventure sports is directly related to tourism. She had one request for people wanting to collaborate on work in the northern areas of Pakistan — please pick up people who have real on-ground experiences.

Harassment is common

Being a woman biker isn't easy, especially in Pakistan. "There are lot of areas that are safe for biking for women in Pakistan and a lot of areas that are not safe. It’s a mixed type of mindset that we have," she said. "Social media and education have led to some people broadening their minds but there are still barriers," the athlete explained.

"Not a single day goes by when I don’t face harassment on the road, so street harassment is really common. I once physically fought three to four guys just to continue my daily practice," she said.

Our decision makers also try to manipulate or harass you in workplaces, so it’s everywhere, she said. "It will take a lot of time for female to come to sports confidently. And getting safe spaces is a long way off," she said.

"But maybe there are people like me, individuals trying to fight the system and making it easier for others, I guess."

No support

Khan says she was not part of a team while heading to the K2 basecamp. It's a technical peak, and a legendary one, she said.

MTB and snowboarding are new sports to Pakistan and are considered sports of the first world, explained the athlete, who is also a snowboarder.

There is no support, no infrastructure and there are no sports brands here, she said. But regardless of all the hurdles, she will continue her journey with or without support.

Khan is from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Dir and started adventure sports 2015 when she biked to the Khunjrab Pass.

"I wanted to explore Hunza on two wheels," she told Images. I wondered why we weren't doing anything for adventure sports in Pakistan, she said, noting that usually, you only see European athletes taking part in these sports and challenges.

Society considers these sports only for the elite class or for men or foreigners, she said. "It's no place for a woman [in their minds]," Khan added.

"All of these thoughts and mindsets are quite challenging for me. Sports transformed my personal life, made me more groomed and confident and I wanted to be the better version of myself with the help of sport."

In the beginning, she was very enthusiastic about sports and participated in the trials for the Pakistan team but she soon realised there was no MTB team.

"Officials were more interested in my age and martial status than my talent. They made strange comments and made fun of me," she said.

Another issue she faced was that because there are no local sports brands, there were no cheap bikes available. You have to import bikes, which is no easy proposition.

It took two to three years for me to have a bike sponsored and till then I rented a secondhand bike, she said. The first bike she got cost between Rs20,000 to Rs25,000 and by her own admission was nothing fancy. "I bought a lot of things at the Sunday market," she explained.

Her biggest hurdle, however, was learning. She said apart from the internet, her biggest source of learning was a two-month ESPN global sports mentoring programme she went to in the US. "They coached me and that was the only learning source," she said.

She has now launched her own sports club where she trains people on how to snowboard and use mountain bikes.

There isn't much government support for conventional sports so support for MTB is a distant dream, said Khan. She explained that the public doesn't often understand the sport either and on social media, while she does get some encouraging responses, many people call her an attention seeker and insult her sport.

This is how MTB is promoted globally, she said, referring to posting pictures and videos of herself on her bike in interesting locations. One of the top UN Sustainable Development Goals is biking and mountain biking on tough landmarks to promote them is very important, she said.

"When I do it in Pakistan, I get criticised because the majority of the population doesn’t understand the requirements of my sport. There is no concept of elite athlete management, branding, sponsorship or health here," she said.

"But when I talk about this as a woman, I receive direct attacks on my gender, which is very disappointing."

Arranging everything yourself and doing everything yourself is quite challenging, more so in Pakistan than other countries, she said, adding that being a woman makes it even more difficult.

"If a foreigner or a man does it [excel at MTB], they get praised but in Pakistan if a woman does it, first they target her abilities and say she can’t even walk, how can she do this and then they bring religion into it. There are lots of factors to fight at the moment as a sportswoman."

Comments

Jill Aug 19, 2021 12:55pm
Excellent ..but I do recommend bike out of Pakistan to follow your passion ...
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ahmed Aug 19, 2021 12:59pm
kuods. be safe, ameen
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Khaled Aug 19, 2021 01:05pm
Great, wish her the best.
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Waleed Aug 19, 2021 01:10pm
"Sky is the Limit" Surround yourself with positive people Don't worry about the rest
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Ahmad Aug 19, 2021 01:18pm
What a farce! A photoshoot on the Baltoro with a mountain bike is not the same as 'biking the Baltoro'. Sure you could ride it a few hundred meters in the early stages of the K2 trek out of Askole, but once you hit the terminal moraine at Paiyu and the actual glacier starts, is practically impossible to 'ride' in any meaningful way. Maybe one could ride for a few hundred meters at best, before having to ask one's porters to carry the bike over the next ridge/moraine/crevice. This is a publicity stunt, nothing more. Shame on you, for using people's ignorance of what constitutes a glacier traverse, to further your attempts at celebrity
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Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad Aug 19, 2021 02:03pm
Great achievements and laurels under her belt. Well done, keep it up and hang on tough.
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M. Saeed Aug 19, 2021 02:05pm
A very good example of courage and bravery for her contemporary Pakistani women.
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A. ALI Aug 19, 2021 02:35pm
Bravo. However harassment sub heading is bad taste in mouth. You ask Mrs Biden about harassment, she will say yes. Please dont malign pak in the name of women harassment, few people dont present majority. Let it be a healthy article. Well done samar khan.
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Chrís Dăn Aug 19, 2021 02:36pm
BRAVO young lady,keep it up.
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A. ALI Aug 19, 2021 02:37pm
@Ahmad .... we need to eliminate people like you from social media. You sofa potatoe.
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Hasan Malik Aug 19, 2021 02:47pm
Sorry but this is fake. I have reached K2 base camp many times. It is not possible to reach there by any type of bicycle. It is strange that there are videos available of her at the base camp. But she forgot to shoot any during her journey. If she has done that really then it is a world record as no other person has achieved to do that anywhere on any mountain range like that.
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Ch. S Aug 19, 2021 03:29pm
Man...I can't even climb a full set of stairs, and this girl has summited K2 already.
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Syed Saad Bin Shariq Aug 19, 2021 03:34pm
I am not a misogynist but porter carried her bike all the way to the top, stop making fake stories about women achievements. The poor porter must be given due credit.
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Mr Salik Rafiq Aug 19, 2021 03:37pm
Country should give all support. There are other things beside cricket that Pakistani athletes can excel at.
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Ahmad Aug 19, 2021 04:01pm
@A. ALI This sofa potato has traversed over 13 glaciers and 5 high altitude passes. How many treks have you done in the greater Karakoram?
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Beyg Aug 19, 2021 04:21pm
She is doing excellent apart from this but she is lying this time . It's not easy or I think even possible to reach K2 base camp in cycle. It's simply a puplicity-stunt
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Abdul Hakeem Aug 19, 2021 04:34pm
@A. ALI atleast do watch some of the vlogs of people who have been there. We must know about the topography of the area mentioned before entering into a debate.
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Imtiaz Karim Aug 19, 2021 04:48pm
I'm am from Baltistan and have been to basecamp, but this tracking is not possible with the bike, it bazaar for saying I have reached basecamp on a bike while Taking potter to carry a bike and walking along is the same as airlifting it to basecamp.
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Frank Manuel Aug 19, 2021 04:57pm
One may not be able to fathom the difficulties she faces, one as a woman, second as a sportsperson and third of an “ elite sport” when being a woman in Pakistan is challenging enough as recent events on Independence Day at Jinnah memorial has borne out.
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Yasser Aug 19, 2021 06:06pm
Ms. Khan should be armed wherever she goes in Pakistan to take down male attackers as she encounters them. It is not safe for women in that country!
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Nayyar Rashid Aug 19, 2021 06:55pm
Does it still count when you have a porter carrying your bike? not trying to downplay what she has achieved here but don't show off if you cant come clean.
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AbdulHaque Shaikh Aug 19, 2021 07:03pm
Good for Samar Khan. Go for your passion but do not be opinionated.
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Sayyar Khan Aug 19, 2021 07:14pm
@A. ALI seems like he knows what he is talking about. Do you have any proof that you leave ur couch.
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Ch. S Aug 19, 2021 07:39pm
Men here should stop whining. What if a porter took her bike all the way up. How many women do you see in a country like Pakistan doing this sort of stuff. Stop being insecure chuds.
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Ibrahim S Aug 19, 2021 07:51pm
@Ahmad - I agree , it’s a photo op but it sends a very clear and positive message . It’s like a commercial advert attracting audience to its product. Don’t you think you feel good about people around you .
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A Aug 19, 2021 08:00pm
Awesome girl! Do not go to Punjab.
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Mockery Aug 19, 2021 08:00pm
Someone plz recommend her a good sun screen! Urgent!
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Aiza Aug 19, 2021 08:03pm
@Ahmad Thanks for clarifying. Real efforts are appreciated not stunts!
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St. Mercury Aug 19, 2021 09:04pm
Fantastic! You made my day!
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Xyz Aug 19, 2021 10:30pm
Dont go to minare Pak.
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Tamilselvan Aug 19, 2021 11:37pm
Salute to this lady s from India. Harassment of women is common all over and more so in Islamic countries but those who harass you cannot come close to your achievements. Good luck and congratulations from India and your lung capacity to use MTB must be great!
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Kaavan Aug 20, 2021 03:42am
Bravo, Samar Khan--World class positive attitude!
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Kaavan Aug 20, 2021 03:48am
@Ahmad : Sour grapes? Readers note that you've been there..., but when were you a female doing on this kind of adventure --to compare and put down Samar Khan in that environment? Paging all the brave women of Pakistan!
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Kaavan Aug 20, 2021 03:51am
@Hasan Malik: More proof, please!
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Kaavan Aug 20, 2021 03:56am
@Ahmad: Please show the world pics of your many adventures to the Baltoro, as proof! WE really have to see Askole to believe you!
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Kaavan Aug 20, 2021 04:08am
@Syed Saad Bin Shariq :Were you there to watch the porter carry the bike ?
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Malik Aug 20, 2021 07:18am
Go girl make us proud
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shafiq ur rehman Aug 20, 2021 09:51am
Great Achievement !!! Its difficult to set such examples particularly by a women in Pakistan yet there are always exceptions like Samar Khan. Keep going great.
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Arafat Aug 20, 2021 10:43am
More Power and respect !!!
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Christine Aug 20, 2021 10:45am
Bravo...but need some UV blockers!
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Nayyar Iqbal mirza Aug 20, 2021 11:12am
agree with this
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AbdulAhad Ikram Aug 20, 2021 11:13am
There are GPS tracking devices which mark one's entire journey on the map. Not only the top athletes, but also the enthusiasts and many amateurs use those along with bicycle computers which note all the effort being put in. Sharing of those records along with video footage would help a lot to establish credibility and confirmation of the journey and the claimed achievements.
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MTB Islamabad Aug 20, 2021 11:45am
Well done Samar Khan. Well done for fooling the entire nation. Anybody who has been to the K2 Basecamp Trek knows how much biking is possible there. Even the professional Mountain bikers from Germany & Austria (Jakob Breitwieser & Gerhard Czerner) who went to the Basecamp a couple of years ago did not claim to ride more than 10km out of 180+ and mostly on the downhill. We don't care what she claimed. We would just want to clarify a few things she mentioned. There are a few mountain biking races organized by the Pakistan Cycling Federation every year. She can't compete there and now making useless excuses and allegations. We are the oldest Mountain Biking Club in the country and we have done rides, some real hard MTB Rides, that she can't think of doing without probably injuring herself. Look us up on Facebook, Twitter or YouTube. We are "MTB Islamabad"
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Ahmad Aug 20, 2021 11:52am
@Kaavan Next up: Pictures of inflatable rafts at Concordia! "We paddled our way up the Baltoro!" And if anyone objects, just throw feminism at them!
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Kashif Saeed Aug 20, 2021 12:46pm
No one has ever done cycling UpTo Basecamp of K2 as of today. Sometime ago two mountain bikers tried to attempt for Basecamp but have truthfully stated that they have just rode 10 kms in total. The claim needs to be verified by media in a professional and technical way at least. Otherwise, every year someone will be doing and claiming such records. Her claim has done enough damage to mountain bikers and athletes at national and international level. So please don't publicize and promote such individuals in the name of women empowerment !
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Basim Aug 20, 2021 01:27pm
Sir before publishing this article you should atleast look into the credentials of this person. An athlete is not someone with baseless claims with no gpx record and just pictures of Instagram. Please look into this as a national Cyclist I can personally guide you on this.
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Abbas Aug 23, 2021 11:06am
Completely fake achievement....Her cycle was carried by local porter all the way to base camp of K-2, as they exposed her later...When locals exposed her tour to K2 base camp she started using abusive language against the residents of Shigar, Skardu...(audio records are viral in social media). She should be ashamed of holding such fake records..
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