Prince Karim Aga Khan laid to rest in Egypt's Aswan

• Prince Rahim Aga Khan, his family attended burial ceremony.
• Shah Karim's casket carried by hand to hilltop mausoleum.
• New mausoleum for Shah Karim to be constructed as final resting place.

Prince Karim al-Hussaini Aga Khan IV, the 49th hereditary Imam of the Ismailis, was laid to rest in Egypt's Aswan city at a private burial ceremony on Sunday, according to a statement issued by the community.

In the statement, the community said Prince Rahim al-Hussaini Aga Khan — the 50th hereditary Imam — and his family were present during the ceremony.

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

Shah Karim’s casket was transferred by boat in a ceremonial crossing to the mausoleum of Mawlana Sultan Mahomed Shah. The casket was carried by hand to the hilltop mausoleum, where Shah Karim’s body was interred.

After the ceremony, leaders expressed condolences to the family, and the Governor of Aswan presented Prince Rahim with a symbolic key to the City of Aswan as a mark of respect.

A new mausoleum for Mawlana Shah Karim will be constructed as his final resting place on land adjacent to the existing structure, the statement added. 

Prince Karim Aga Khan, renowned for his triumphs in horse racing, immense wealth, and global development work, breathed his last in Lisbon, Portugal, at the age of 88 on Tuesday.

A day earlier, Prince Karim's funeral was held in Lisbon, Portugal, which was attended by several Heads of States, including Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Spain’s King Emeritus Juan Carlos.

Following Prince Karim's demise, the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) announced Prince Rahim al-Hussaini Aga Khan was named the 50th hereditary Imam, as per the late Imam’s will that was read in the presence of his family and senior community leaders.

The late spiritual leader of the Ismaili community left behind three sons, Rahim Aga Khan, Aly Muhammad Aga Khan, and Hussain Aga Khan, and a daughter, Zahra Aga Khan.

Karim was born in Switzerland and spent his childhood in Nairobi and graduated from Harvard University with a BA Honors Degree in Islamic History.

He assumed imamat at the age of 20 years in 1957 after succeeding his grandfather, Sir Sultan Mahomed Shah Aga Khan III.

He was widely known for his welfare services in different regions of Asia and Africa via his network of private development agencies, AKDN.

In recognition of his service, Prince Karim 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, according to the AKDN website.

He had also given exemplary services for the development of Pakistan and in recognition of his outstanding services, he received the country's highest civilian decorations — Nishan-i-Imtiaz in 1970 and Nishan-i-Pakistan in 1983. 

— With additional input from Reuters and AFP