Unsung heroes

It was on February 5 that Ali Sadpara was last seen near K2’s Bottleneck area. The sad part is that until then a large number of Pakistanis had no idea who he was. Why do we not acknowledge the achievements of our heroes? Why did Ali Sadpara have to be in danger to get the respect and recognition that he had always deserved? Why were we unaware of the fact that this Pakistani mountaineer was living his dream without much support. Why doesn’t the government give these unsung heroes the credit they deserve? When was the last time the authorities offered financial support to a struggling athlete? One thing which we need to realise is that we shouldn’t wait long to celebrate our heroes.

Saman Rafiq

Islamabad