The nation endured a tragic loss on April 4 as Abdul Karim, popularly known as Little Karim, drew his last breath. Even as he helped famed climbers scale the Karakorum peaks, Karim, 68, remained obscure, humble and grateful for the adventures life presented to him. He is survived by four sons, four daughters and a wife.

Hailing from Hushe in the Ghanche district of north Pakistan, Karim was a veteran mountain porter whose mountaineering skills and determination gave the lie to his small stature as he reached some of the world’s highest peaks. Having little access to schools in his valley as a child, Karim developed an early love for climbing the hills surrounding him from all sides. As a young man, Karim ascended to Skardu city in 1976, adamant that he would find work as a porter for the mountain climbing groups which had arrived in the region.

In 1978, renowned British mountaineer Chris Bonington had about 200 porters to choose from for his team to attempt to climb the K2. He would repeatedly tell Karim that he was “too little” to join the team. Karim refused to give up. He was determined to make the team. Undeterred, Karim slipped around Bonington, sneaked his head between the British mountaineer’s legs and lifted the two-metre-tall Bonington on his shoulders. Then he ran across the empty field.

While other porters erupted in laughter, Bonington was quite impressed by Karim’s audacity and granted his wish. Karim became a part of the expedition to K2. Eventually, the celebrated high-altitude porter from Skardu came to be widely known as Little Karim. Although he proved himself to many mountaineering crews, they always seemed hesitant to take him along, preferring better-built high-altitude porters instead. Nonetheless, he would always prove his critics wrong. Owing to his grit, Little Karim managed to scale a 7,000-metre peak on his first-ever trip with a climbing team.

French documentary filmmaker Laurent Chevallier directed a film called Little Karim in 1985. It received great acclaim in France and throughout Europe. Chevallier returned to film the porter for the second time in 1997 for a film titled Mister Karim, and then for the third time for an additional film on the same subject. Little Karim later became the president of the jury of a French film award — a great honour for Pakistan and for Gilgit-Baltistan.

Throughout the ’70s and ’80s, Little Karim served as a guide for Western tourists going on high-altitude expeditions, carrying up to 25kg of luggage on his back as he battled the freezing cold of the north. He holds a world record for climbing the 8,035m-high Gasherbrum 2 without supplemental oxygen in 1985.

Adding to his list of accolades are his countless rescue feats wherein he would frequently put himself in danger to save fellow mountaineers. Little Karim was nothing short of a superhero.

The mountaineering team of Frenchman Jean-Marc Boivin had also arrived for Boivin’s hang glide from the summit of Gasherbrum 2. When a French cameraman spotted Karim carrying the heavy glider on his shoulders, he recorded the episode. As he went back to France and televised the film, everyone in France was astounded by Little Karim’s talent. While Karim had already established himself in the climbing circles in Europe, his success with the Boivin team launched him into spotlight.

Adding to his list of accolades are his countless rescue feats wherein he would frequently put himself in danger to save fellow mountaineers. Little Karim was nothing short of a superhero.

A climber, a young woman, once fell ill at Camp 3 on Broad Peak. Karim was dispatched with medication from the base camp. He climbed Broad Peak in less than three hours, saving her life. Another time in 1986, while descending Broad Peak, a Spanish climber gave up. At 7,700 metres, the climber ran out of energy and announced that he was unable to walk. He almost begged Little Karim to leave him behind and to go on regardless. Despite everyone leaving the Spaniard behind and descending 700 metres, Little Karim went back to rescue him. Following a successful rescue, Karim managed to bring the Spaniard back to life.

Karim was fortunate to survive many tough situations even though many women and men with whom he climbed have lost their lives to mountaineering accidents. Three times he fell into crevasses, his closest encounter with death. Karim also inspired his granddaughters to become climbers. They created a world record by climbing the 6,080-metre Manglesser peak in the Shimshal valley in 2018.

Having spent his entire life as a mountaineer, Little Karim, in his early ’60s, ran a small store in Hushe, his hometown. In 1999-2000 while touring Canada to be part of a K-2 film, he contracted jaundice and was stopped from climbing peaks above 7,000 metres. Later, as a contribution to the village, Karim tried to build a school for local children, educate them and train them to become mountain hikers. The community offered little to no support.

Many tour operators in Skardu began using Little Karim’s name and pictures to attract tourists and mountaineers. Karim was neither aware of this nor was paid any royalties. Karim was diagnosed with liver cancer in 2016. His health deteriorated greatly at the end of January.

Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister Khalid Khurshid Khan announced that the government would bear the medical treatment expenses and offer jobs to his sons who could not find work since the pandemic. The support was announced after the mountaineer’s son tried to put a Cristiano Ronaldo-signed T-shirt on sale and social media users urged the government to act. The T-shirt had been gifted to Little Karim by the football star during a visit to Spain in 2018.

Alas, Karim is no more. His death came at the Combined Military Hospital in Rawalpindi after a long battle with liver cancer. The funeral prayers were offered at Sofia Masjid. The mountains will never forget the lionhearted Little Karim.

The writer is a freelance contributor