Aga Khan IV being laid to rest in Egypt

Prince Karim Al-Hussaini, Aga Khan IV, the 49th spiritual leader of the Ismaili community and known for his development work around the world, was being laid to rest at a private burial ceremony in Aswan, Egypt on Sunday.

“He will be interred in the mausoleum of his grandfather, Mawlana Sultan Mahomed Shah, until a new mausoleum is constructed as his final resting place on land adjacent to the existing structure,” the community said in a statement.

Aga Khan IV passed away on February 4, surrounded by family in Lisbon, Portugal. He was 88.

Prince Rahim al-Hussaini Aga Khan V was named the 50th spiritual leader of the Ismaili community “following the unsealing of the Will of his late father, Prince Karim Al-Hussaini Aga Khan IV.”

On Saturday, the funeral ceremony for the late Ismaili imam was held at the Ismaili Centre in Lisbon.

More than 300 guests, including Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, former Spanish king Juan Carlos I, and Pakistan’s Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, leaders of the Ismaili community and other dignitaries attended the ceremony. Family members, community leaders, Aga Khan University President Sulaiman Shahabuddin, and Habib Bank Limited Board of Directors Chairman Sultan Ali Allan were also present.

Read more: PM Sharif announces day of national mourning on funeral of Aga Khan IV

The funeral was a close event attended only by invited guests. The ceremony saw representation from the Ismaili community, including the 22 National Council presidents from around the world, including Pakistan.

The event was broadcast live on Ismaili TV, allowing followers of the late leader to partake virtually. Community centres and Jamaat Khanas were equipped to facilitate viewings of the ceremony, ensuring that the leader’s supporters could pay their respects.

In Gilgit-Baltistan, Ismaili community members gathered in the districts of Gilgit, Hunza, and Ghizer to see the ceremony.

The global Ismaili community, a sect of Shia Islam, consists of approximately 15 million followers residing in Central Asia, the Middle East, South Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, Europe, and North America.