Renowned mountaineer Nirmal Purja was among 10 missing after an avalanche in northern Pakistan where they were on a climbing expedition, the country's alpine club said.

"The Alpine Club of Pakistan (ACP) has received deeply concerning reports of an avalanche that struck a team of climbers on Broad Peak (8,047m) in the Karakoram mountain range," the club said late on Thursday, adding the team had been led by Nepal-born Purja and could not be reached since the incident.