Prince Karim Aga Khan remembered on first death anniversary

2026-02-04 - 06:36

KARACHI – Prince Karim Aga Khan IV, the spiritual leader of the Ismaili Muslim community, is being remembered on his first death anniversary today (4 February 2026). Prince Aga Khan “passed away peacefully in Lisbon on 4 February 2025, aged 88, surrounded by his family. Prince Karim Aga Khan was the founder and chairman of the Aga Khan Development Network”. He had assumed this role in 1957 at the age of 20, succeeding his grandfather. An announcement regarding his successor is expected in the coming days. He was the eldest son of Prince Aly Khan and Joan Yarde-Buller. Throughout his life, the Aga Khan IV emphasised that Islam is a thinking, spiritual faith that teaches compassion and tolerance, and upholds the dignity of humankind. He dedicated his life to improving the living condition of his community and the peoples of the countries in which they live, irrespective of race, gender, ethnicity or religion. He founded and guided one of the world’s largest private international development organisations that serves communities in some of the most fragile and underdeveloped regions of the world. He was respected globally as a statesman and defender of peace and human progress. In keeping with the recognition accorded to the previous three Aga Khans by the British monarchs, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II granted the title His Highness to Aga Khan IV in 1957. In acknowledgement of his exceptional contributions to human development and improving the social condition of societies globally, His Highness received distinctions of honour from France, Portugal, Kenya, Canada, the United Kingdom, Iran, India, Pakistan and Senegal. He received 44 international awards, including honorary Canadian citizenship and the UN Champion for Global Change Award, and was the recipient of 24 honorary degrees from leading institutions such as Cambridge, Harvard and McGill.