Kathmandu, Jan. 19 -- While their political leaders back home in Kathmandu fought tooth-and-nail for power, ten Nepali climbers from different expeditions decided to work together last week to achieve the first-ever winter ascent of the last 8,000m peak.

In a remarkable show of solidarity, ten exhausted Nepali mountaineers waited 10m below the summit for everyone to catch up, and then took the final steps together to the top of K2, singing Nepal's national anthem in unison.

This unique demonstration of unity put the leaders of Nepal's ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) and other political parties to shame for wasting nearly three years in an endless power struggle that has paralysed governance.

Immersed in rancorous name-calling, none ...