Mohd Khafiz is second M'sian to conquer K2, world's second highest peak

Mohd Khafiz became the second Malaysian to summit Mount K2, the world's second highest, in Pakistan on Thursday (July 27). - Photo courtesy of Sinar Harian

KUALA LUMPUR: Mohd Khafiz Bachok became the second Malaysian mountain climber to conquer the second highest mountain in the world after Mount Everest, known as - Mount K2 - which is located in Pakistan, to accomplish his dream of 25 years.

Mohd Khafiz, 45, from Pontian, Johor, managed to reach the peak of the mountain, situated at a height of 8,611m at 11.52am local time (2.52pm Malaysian time) Thursday (July 27), a climb regarded as the most dangerous and most difficult in the world.

The manager of ZEROTO8000 mission, Rozaimi Mohd Said said Mohd Khafiz who had started his ascent from Skardu, took eight days to reach the Base Camp, but due to bad weather conditions, the process of acclimatisation to high altitude rotations was started only on July 12.

"The rotation process of acclimatisation to Camp 2 was done before returning to Base Camp and the actual climb only started on July 22. He reached Camp 3, which is situated at a height of 7,254m on Tuesday (July 25).

"The climb to the peak started on Wednesday (July 26) at 5.40pm local time. The climb is part of the ZEROTO8000 mission which was set up by Mohd Khafiz himself and started as an initiative to inculcate self-confidence and a sense of independence among Malaysians,” he said in a statement Thursday.

According to Rozaimi, ZEROTO8000 reflects Mohd Khafiz’s mission which started at a height of 0m from Tanjung Piai, Johor and headed to Mount K2 which is situated at a height of 8,000m and above and has since become a symbol for his own efforts and adopted by his family as well.

Rozaimi said Mohd Khafiz had managed to source for funds needed for the mission which amounted to RM500,000 by selling his house and ZEROTO8000 products as well as by organising mountain climbing expeditions to other countries.

After having climbed the eighth highest mountain (Mount Manaslu) which is situated at a height of 8,163m with another ZEROTO8000 team member RJ Nagarajan last year, Mount K2 is the second mountain he has climbed at a height of more than 8,000m.

Mohd Khafiz has also climbed Mount Aconcagua (6,961m) in Argentina (2016), Kilimanjaro (5,895m) in Tanzania, Cartens Pyramid (4,884m), Papua and other high peaks in Taiwan, Indonesia and Malaysia.

In July 2022, T. Ravichandran, better known as Ravi Everest, created history by becoming the first Malaysian to conquer Mount K2. - Bernama