Deo Sai, Shila Pass Trek, Shigar Valley and Abruzzi Garden School. I have experienced High Altitude Trekking a lot in the Mountains of Skardu and Gilgit with my family and some were risky ones. But over a period of time learnt to be equipped with proper mountain gear to survive under extreme hostile conditions. This time I wanted by Computer Institute Faculty to also experience but a selected few who had good record of Fairy Meadows extra. Sialkot to Islamabad and over the Babusar Pass to Astore over the Deo Sai plateau reached via Sadpara, Shigar. High Altitude trek was to start Monday but it rained reached Sadpara on Wednesday night and planned to trek for next three days. Two male and two female instructors joined me, arranged for 5 porters and guide and two jeeps to leave and pick us up at the end of trek from Shila Village. Sleeping bags kept us warm as it was much below freezing temperatures. Rest of the days were spend in Shigar since 2012 I have been involved in helping them establish computer labs and in training their students and instructors. Met old friends Dr Hassan Amacha, Syed Iraqi, Latif khan and scores of instructors and ex-students whom when we trained in year 2012 were now in University. There is a lot to write at the moment enjoy the pictures of Shila Pass, the frozen lake, Flowers of Deo Sai, (not in full bloom yet), and some of beautiful Shigar dishes at dinner with Dr Hassan Amacha who has vast knowledge of local plants and herbs and their medicine values.

It was year 2011 when I met Ms Tahereh Sherazie daughter of late Brigadier Namazi at a common friends place that she came to know I was in the field of education and needed my help to establish a Chemistry and Physics Lab at Abruzzi Garden School in Shigar, Skardu. I told her I am into computers I can help her establish a computer Lab. First she did not believe me but I told her that computers shall be shipped in year 2012 and in 2013 we shall establish 20 system lab with a server and networking. World is so small she asked me was I from the Burki Family I said yes, she asked do I know her late father Brigadier Namazi. Suddenly I remembered that my mother always told us that if Captain Namazi was not ADC to my late grand father Khan Buhadur Abdul Majeed khan (then education minister in India) my mother’s family would have not made it to Lahore alive because of massive killing and riots in Amritsar. Then Captain Namazi with two soldiers and machine guns escorted my mother’s family in two military trucks safely to Lahore.(small world).

K2 summit is attempted from Pakistan side ( the south east ridge called the Abruzzi spur) First climbed by Italians in 1954, this is the closest to a "normal" route on K2, but is still very difficult and statistically the most dangerous. The route starts with approximately 1000 m of climbing on loose scree (bring a helmet!) with significant danger of rocks falling from Camp 1 and above. Because Abruzzi started his expedition K2 from Shigar his family asked the Shigar people their choice they requested for a school and that is how Abruzzi garden school came into being and Ms Tahereh Sherazie collected donations and established the school. My faculty and I am grateful that we were small part to play in this noble cause. Faculty visited Abruzzi school.