GILGIT: The people of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) paid tributes to Prince Karim Aga Khan on Thursday, recalling his services for humanity that have left an indelible mark on the region.
A public holiday was declared on Thursday and the government announced three days of mourning from Feb 5 to 7.
A large number of people from all sects, government officials, religious scholars and activists of political and religious parties visited Jamaatkhanas in Gilgit, Hunza and Ghizer to record their sense of loss.
Through a letter to Prince Rahim Aga Khan, the new spiritual leader of the Ismaili community, Chief Minister Haji Gulbar Khan recalled the late Aga Khan’s visionary leadership and dedication to humanitarian causes.
PM declares Feb 8 a day of national mourning
The chief minister lauded his unwavering commitment to G-B’s socio-economic development and tireless efforts for lifting the people from poverty and deprivation.
Gulbar Khan said G-B remains indebted to Prince Karim Aga Khan for his determination to make the region an example of all-round progress.
“The Aga Khan was not only a spiritual leader but also a beacon of hope, peace, tolerance and sustainable development.”
Syed Shabiul Hasan, a member of the GB Council, said people of all sects were grateful to him for preaching tolerance and respect for divergent beliefs and views.
Maulana Abdul Sami, a former emir of Jamaat-i-Islami’s Gilgit-Baltistan chapter, recalled his passion for improving the lives of ordinary people. The projects undertaken by the Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (AKRSP) have brought about an unbelievable change in people’s lives, he added.
The JI leader said seeds introduced by the AKRSP had enabled local farmers to produce high-quality potatoes and to earn good money.
“Introduction of new fruit production techniques, training for local farmers and construction of irrigation channels in remote areas went a long way to empowering the poor.”
He said skill development programmes for the youth and women improved job opportunities.
Amjad Hussain, a GB Assembly member and president of the PPP’s local chapter, said the Aga Khan had dedicated his life to philanthropy, especially in Pakistan.
Baba Jan, a leader of the Awami Workers Party, recalled Prince Karim Aga Khan’s contribution to preservation of the region’s cultural heritage, citing the example of forts in Baltit, Altit, Shigar and Khaplu.
Protection of environment, promoting female education in conservative areas, and improving access to healthcare are some of the countless endeavours undertaken by Aga Khan, Baba Jan said. The AKDN supported rural communities, set up women’s organisations and encouraged women to go into business by giving them small loans, he added.
Ali Haidar, a social worker, said the AKDN also supported the rehabilitation of families affected by climate change. It was the first to provide shelter to families displaced by melting glaciers in Ghizer, Nagar and Astore.
First visit in 1960
After his first visit to the region in Oct 1960, Prince Karim Aga Khan left no stone unturned to transform the Gilgit region from a backward area into a model of human development that is now the envy of the rest of the country.
The Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) and other agencies launched projects for poverty alleviation, improving access to healthcare, lifting education standards, skills enhancement, and preservation of cultural heritage.
The Aga Khan Rural Support Programme, a non-profit organisation, was established in 1982 to help improve the quality of life of communities in Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral.
It has a community-led approach and encourages an equitable socio-economic development.
The AKRSP has been working across all 10 districts of Gilgit-Baltistan and two districts of Chitral, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The organisation expanded its network to Sindh last year, reiterating its mission to ameliorate the suffering of the poor in the country’s rural areas.
The AKRSP’s fields of interest include agriculture and food security, climate resilience, health and nutrition, education and early childhood development.
Day of mourning
The nation will observe a day of mourning on Saturday (Feb 8) to mark the demise of Prince Karim Aga Khan, according to a notification issued by the Cabinet Division.
The notification said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had ordered observance of the day to coincide with the funeral of Aga Khan.
The national flag will fly at half-mast across the country on the occasion.
Meanwhile, the funeral of Prince Karim Aga Khan will take place at the Ismaili Centre in Lisbon, the Portuguese capital, at 11am on Saturday.
The event will be open to invited guests only.
He will be laid to rest at a private ceremony in Aswan, Egypt, on Sunday (Feb 9).
Published in Dawn, February 7th, 2025
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