ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday hosted Prince Rahim Aga Khan V during his first official visit to Pakistan since becoming the spiritual leader of the Ismaili Muslim community earlier this year, with both sides emphasizing cooperation on climate resilience, education and development initiatives.
Prince Rahim became the 50th hereditary Imam of the Ismaili Muslims in February 2025 following the death of his father, Prince Karim Aga Khan IV, who led the community for nearly seven decades and built one of the world’s largest private development networks through the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN).
AKDN has long played a major role in Pakistan’s northern regions, particularly Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral, where it operates programs in health care, education, disaster resilience, rural development and climate adaptation. Pakistani officials increasingly view the network as an important partner as climate change accelerates glacier melt, flooding and environmental pressures in mountain communities.
On Thursday, Sharif hosted a breakfast meeting in honor of Prince Rahim and appreciated his commitment to “fostering peace, stability, and constructive engagement with governments and international partners.”
“Recognizing His Highness’s advocacy for environmental stewardship, the Prime Minister emphasized that AKDN remained a natural and trusted partner in Pakistan’s efforts to strengthen climate resilience, particularly in glacially vulnerable northern areas,” the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement.
Sharif also highlighted the longstanding partnership between Pakistan and AKDN, praising its contributions in rural development, health care, education, renewable energy, digital skills training and youth entrepreneurship.
“The Prime Minister encouraged AKDN to deepen and expand its partnership with Pakistan, particularly in Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral, where the network’s institutional presence and community outreach are highly valued,” the statement said.
Sharif also welcomed stronger engagement with Aga Khan University, noting its contributions to health care and higher education in Pakistan.
The prime minister thanked Prince Rahim for visiting Pakistan and said the country would “always remain his second home,” while expressing hope that his regular visits would strengthen ties between Pakistan and the Ismaili community.
Sharif also expressed condolences over the death of Prince Karim Aga Khan IV and presented a commemorative postage stamp issued in his honor for his services to Pakistan.
According to the statement, Prince Rahim Aga Khan V thanked the prime minister for the warm welcome and expressed his desire to continue cooperation with Pakistan on human development initiatives.
