Prince Karim Aga Khan departs after 13-day visit of Pakistan

KARACHI: Spiritual leader of the Ismaili community Prince Karim Aga Khan departed from Karachi on Tuesday (December 19) after completing a 13-day visit to Pakistan.

The visit was part of the commemoration of the Aga Khan’s diamond jubilee, which began earlier this year on July 11. During his visit he met with members of the Ismaili community and key government officials in Islamabad, Chitral, Gilgit-Baltistan and Karachi.

In Islamabad, Aga Khan met with President Mamnoon Hussain at the President’s House, where he received by a guard of honour. He also met Prime Minister, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi who presented him commemorative stamps on the occasion of his diamond jubilee.

While in Chitral, he met with the member of National Assembly from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Shahzada Iftikharuddin, Malakand Commissioner Syed Zaheerul Islam, Chitral District Nazim Maghfirat Shah, Malakand Deputy Inspector of Police (DIG) Colonel Moinuddin Akhter Hayat and member of provincial assembly Salim Khan to discuss matters of mutual interests.

In Gilgit, the Aga Khan was given a warm welcome by a delegation comprising of Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister Hafeezur-Rehman, Northern Areas Force Commander Major General Saqib Mahmood Malik and Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Secretary Dr Kazim Niaz. After his visit to Northern Pakistan, he traveled to Karachi where he met with Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and Sindh Governor Muhammad Zubair.

While in Karachi, he also inaugurated the Aga Khan University’s Centre for Innovation in Medical Education, a state-of-the-art facility for technology-based learning for health professionals.

The Aga Khan is the Chairman and Founder of the Aga Khan Development Network. In Pakistan, the contributions of the network had been significant in improving the lives of the people.

The network had been present in the country for over 100 years and was still active in the most remote areas of the country, with a focus in health, education, rural and economic development, culture and tourism. The diamond jubilee marked the 60 years of Aga Khan as the spiritual head of the Shia Ismaili Muslim community.

The Aga Khan acceded to the position on July 11, 1957, after succeeding his grandfather Sir Sultan Mahomed Shah Aga Khan III.