ACP unveils ambitious plan to train 5,000 mountaineering professionals

ISLAMABAD, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 26th Apr, 2026) In a major push to professionalize adventure tourism and mountaineering, the Alpine Club of Pakistan (ACP) has rolled out a comprehensive national training initiative, that aims to create a skilled workforce capable of meeting international standards.

Talking to APP here Sunday, the ACP President Major General (Retd) Irfan Arshad said the country is finally addressing a decades-old gap in formal mountaineering education that has long limited the sector’s potential.

He said that a small mountaineering school had already been established in Sadpara, a village in Gilgit-Baltistan with a historically significant climbing community. The facility was set up with backing from the Commander of the Force Command Northern Areas, alongside contributions from Pakistan Army and the ACP President itself. The centerpiece of the initiative, however, is the National Mountaineering School at Shigar, a government-backed project for which land has been allocated, funds earmarked, and the tendering process is now underway. The project carries an estimated cost of 946 million rupees, Irfan said.

In addition, he said an Alpine Climbing Academy in Islamabad is being developed, with its infrastructure and scope currently being finalized. "The courses for the academy are being approved by NAVTTC (National Vocational and Technical Training Commission), under a structured programme designed to produce certified professionals at scale.

Under a five year plan, the ACP aims to train upto 5000 professionals across the mountaineering and climbing sector," he added.

Irfan emphasized that mountaineering and climbing represent a complete ecosystem, deeply interlinked with tourism and employment in Gilgit-Baltistan. "Mountaineering and climbing is a complete ecosystem; it is not like other sports.

"Employment in GB is connected to tourism, and tourism is connected to climbing, mountaineering, and hiking. All of these are intertwined."

He noted that while advanced certification takes time, shorter training modules would be introduced for support roles, ensuring inclusivity across the workforce. Shorter training programmes of few weeks to six months would cater to lower-altitude workers kitchen crews and other support personnel, he said and added that after three years, no tour operator would be able to use untrained staff. The compliance will be mandatory for everyone. It's a matter of a few years, everyone working in our mountains will be trained and will carry the certification of appropriate institutions, the ACP President added.