Born on October 12, 1971, Prince Rahim is the eldest son of the late Aga Khan IV and his first wife, Princess Salimah — née Sarah Croker Poole — a British ex-model. The couple had a daughter and two sons together.
Rahim has two sons through his marriage with former American fashion model Kendra Spears.
The 50th Ismaili imam has closely followed the work of the Institute of Ismaili Studies and the Ismaili community’s social governance institutions, serving as chairman of the AKDN’s Environment and Climate Committee.
“Prince Rahim has been particularly concerned with the AKDN’s drive to protect the environment and mitigate the effects of climate change,” it said, also highlighting his attention to the institution’s work “addressing the needs of those living in the greatest poverty”.
Set up in 1967, the AKDN group of international development agencies employs 80,000 people helping to build schools and hospitals and providing electricity for millions of people in the poorest parts of Africa and Asia.
The billionaire philanthropist
The name of late Prince Karim Aga Khan, who was the 49th hereditary imam or spiritual leader of the world’s 15 million Ismailis, also became synonymous with success as a racehorse owner, with the thoroughbred Shergar among his most famous.
Estimates of his wealth varied from $800 million to $13 billion, with his money coming from his family inheritance, his horse breeding business and his personal investments in tourism and real estate.
The international jet setter — who held British, French, Swiss and Portuguese citizenship — also poured millions into helping people in the poorest parts of the world.
President, PM extend condolences
President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Deputy PM Ishaq Dar, Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz, Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ali Amin Gandapur, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, and others offered heartfelt sympathies to the family and the Ismaili community on the passing of their spiritual leader.
President Zardari, who is on an official visit to China, in his statement, said that Pakistan lost a great friend, who had made great contributions towards the uplift of Pakistan’s social sector, particularly in the health, education and community development.
“The invaluable services of Prince Karim Aga Khan for humanity will always be remembered”, President Secretariat Press Wing, in a press release, quoted the president as saying.
PM Shehbaz in a message on X paid tribute to the late Aga Khan for all his philanthropic efforts for the development of countless communities all over the world.
