ISLAMABAD: Prince Karim Aga Khan, the spiritual leader of the Shia Ismaili Muslims, arrived in Islamabad on an official visit to the country on the invitation of Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Thursday.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Khowaja Mohammad Asif, Minister for Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry and Mayor of Islamabad Sheikh Anser Aziz received him at the airport.

Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi had officially invited the Aga Khan IV.

He is expected to meet his followers in Chitral and Gilgit-Baltistan on December 9 and December 10, respectively. Moreover, he will stay in Karachi from December 15 till December 19. He is also expected to meet President Mamnoon Hussain and Prime Minister Abbasi along with other government leaders, said a news release.

The visit is part of a series of visits that coincides with the commemoration of the Aga Khan IV’s Diamond Jubilee, which began on July 11 this year and will continue till July 11, 2018. The Diamond Jubilee marks 60 years of his Imamat as the spiritual leader of the Shia Ismaili Muslim community. Prince Karim acceded to the Ismaili Imamat on July 11, 1957, succeeding his grandfather, Sir Sultan Mahomed Shah Aga Khan.

The Ismaili community sees the diamond jubilee as an opportunity to provide hope for the future of populations that may be marginalized or vulnerable.

The Aga Khan IV, a direct descendant of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) through his daughter Fatima and son-in-law Ali, visited a village in Skardu as well as Hunza in 2006 along with Prince Charles of Britain and the Duchess of Cornwall.