Oman mountain hiking victim was UAE resident


(MENAFN- Khaleej Times)A Pakistan-born British national who died on August 30 while hiking near the UAE-Oman border after losing her way was a UAE resident.

Friends called her adventurous and daring.

Bushra Farooqui was said to have died from heat and dehydration after she lost her way while hiking on the Wadi Al Sameenah mountain in Mahda province in Oman.

Eleven of her friends including a child were rescued by the Royal Oman Police after one of the hikers called the police for help.

Reportedly her brother and sister are in the UAE awaiting release of Bushra's body by the Al Buraimi police.

Her brother Sohaib Farooqui who is said to be currently in the UAE after he flew in from Pakistan did not respond to calls.

Bushra was said to be an experienced hiker who had also trekked to Mount Everest base camp.

In her 40s she was also known to be a humanitarian who had funded a school at the remote Basha Valley in Baltistan in Pakistan.

Named the Inspire Initiative the school currently houses 180 students aged between four and 14.

Such was her love for trekking that during an interview with a Pakistani newspaper in June this year she had said "The motive behind running a primary school in this beautiful mountainous region is the collective love of mountains trekking and education."

According to her LinkedIn profile Bushra was working as a ?senior consultant & director Learning & Development at Bank T&D Consulting Ltd for their Dubai office.

Calls to the office remained unanswered on Tuesday. Most notable about her profile was that she had worked as a project manager with London Olympics in 2012.

Wali Zahid a friend and fellow professional in a response sent to Khaleej Times from Pakistan said: "My first contact with Bushra was back in 2003 when I engaged her for a two-day training workshop on Customer-Satisfying Innovation at British Council Pakistan. Participants just loved her depth expertise on the subject and the way she managed the interaction."

"More recently after an exchange of messages after her 2011 trek to Mt Everest Base Camp and inspired by her I booked the same trek in early 2012 with my son and friends. I had to cancel it at the last minute because of a clashing travel schedule" he said. "She was adventurous and daring. Perhaps it was dare that ended her life abruptly" he added.

Her Facebook page was flooded with comments expressing shock at her death and

Officials from the Pakistan and British Embassies in Oman are offering consular assistance to the family.

"The British Embassy in Oman is aware that sadly a British national died whilst on a hiking trip in Oman. The Embassy is working closely with the Royal Oman Police and is offering consular assistance to the family" read a statement from the embassy.

Asma Ali Zain Associated with KT for 15 years. Covers health issues Pakistan community human interest stories as well as general topics for daily news or features.


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