Prince Karim Aga Khan laid to rest in Egypt’s Aswan in private ceremony

Prince Karim al-Hussaini Aga Khan IV, the 49th hereditary Imam of the Ismaili community, was laid to rest in a private ceremony in Aswan, Egypt, on Sunday, according to a statement from the community.

The late Imam’s eldest son and successor, Prince Rahim Aga Khan, attended the burial alongside family members.

"The Governor of Aswan facilitated and participated in a dignified procession through the city to the banks of the River Nile," the statement said.

Prince Karim’s casket was then transferred by boat in a ceremonial crossing to the mausoleum of Mawlana Sultan Mahomed Shah. It was carried by hand to the hilltop site, where he was interred.

After the ceremony, leaders offered condolences to the family. As a mark of respect, the Governor of Aswan presented Prince Rahim with a symbolic key to the city.

A new mausoleum will be built adjacent to the existing structure to serve as the final resting place of Prince Karim, the statement added.

Global tributes and funeral in Lisbon

Prince Karim Aga Khan passed away on Tuesday in Lisbon, Portugal, at the age of 88. A funeral was held a day earlier in Lisbon, attended by world leaders, including Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Spain’s King Emeritus Juan Carlos.

Following his death, the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) confirmed that Prince Rahim Aga Khan was named the 50th hereditary Imam, in accordance with the late Imam’s will, read in the presence of his family and senior community leaders.

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Prince Karim is survived by three sons—Rahim, Aly Muhammad, and Hussain Aga Khan—and a daughter, Zahra Aga Khan.

A life of leadership and global development

Born in Switzerland, Prince Karim spent his early years in Nairobi and later graduated from Harvard University with a degree in Islamic History. He assumed the imamat in 1957 at the age of 20, succeeding his grandfather, Sir Sultan Mahomed Shah Aga Khan III.

For over six decades, he led global development initiatives through the AKDN, improving education, healthcare, and infrastructure across Asia and Africa.

In recognition of his contributions, he received 44 international awards, including honorary Canadian citizenship and the UN Champion for Global Change Award. He was also awarded 24 honorary degrees from prestigious institutions such as Harvard, Cambridge, and McGill.

Prince Karim played a key role in Pakistan’s development, receiving the country’s highest civilian honors—Nishan-e-Imtiaz in 1970 and Nishan-e-Pakistan in 1983—for his services.