Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif spoke with Prince Rahim Aga Khan on Thursday and condoled with him on the sad demise of his father Prince Karim Aga Khan, as the government declared Saturday (tomorrow) as "day of national mourning" in the country.
Shah Karim Al Hussaini Aga Khan IV passed away in Lisbon on Tuesday at the age of 88. He was the 49th hereditary imam of the 15 million-strong Ismaili community world-wide. In an official announcement from the community, Prince Rahim succeeded Prince Karim as their next spiritual leader.
The Diwan of the Ismaili Imamat announced on Thursday that the "funeral ceremony for Mawlana Shah Karim, our beloved 49th Imam, will take place at the Ismaili Centre Lisbon at 11:00am on Saturday", adding that he would be laid to rest at a private burial ceremony in Aswan on Sunday.
A notification issued by the Cabinet Division said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had "declared a Day of National Mourning in Pakistan on Saturday on the occasion of the funeral of Prince Karim Aga Khan. The notification expressed "profound grief on the passing of Aga Khan IV.
On the day of mourning, the notification added, the national flag would fly at half-mast throughout the country. The government had already announced that the Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb would represent Pakistan at the funeral ceremony.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif spoke to Prince Rahim Aga Khan to express his "deepest condolences on the passing of His Highness the Aga Khan IV," the prime minister said in a post on the microblogging website of X on Thursday.
"A true friend of Pakistan, he illuminated many lives with his visionary leadership, and his contributions to global development, education, health and humanitarian efforts will always be remembered," Prime Minister Shehbaz stated, paying glowing tributes to the late Aga Khan.
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