Special coverage of His Highness the Aga Khan’s visit to Pakistan: Before their encounter with their beloved 50th Imam, Ismailis in Hunza work hard and joyfully prepare for the visit; hundreds, from children to the elderly, take part in a commemorative marathon
Prepared and compiled by MALIK MERCHANT
Anchor links covering pre-arrival notes related to His Highness Prince Rahim Aga Khan’s visit to Pakistan from May 20 to 26, 2026
- May 3 – 20, 2026: Ismailis in Hunza prepare for a special moment in spiritual history
- April 24, 2026: His Highness the Aga Khan announces official visit to Pakistan.
- 2016-2024: Historical Notes (Prince Rahim’s visits in 2016, 2018 and 2024)
- 1961: Mawlana Shah Karim visits Hunza
- Supplication to the Imam-of-the-Time
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In Passu, in the heart of the Karakoram, a community prepares not just for a visit — but for a moment in spiritual history, the Didar of the 50th Imam, His Highness Prince Rahim Aga Khan
We are pleased to have Faqir Ullah Khan serve as our chief correspondent for His Highness the Aga Khan’s upcoming visit to Gilgit-Baltistan during his Pakistan tour, May 20-26, 2026. Faqir’s 2017 coverage of Mawlana Shah Karim’s Diamond Jubilee visit was well received, and we trust his reports will continue to inform and inspire our readers worldwide. We thank him for sharing these updates, which help us all feel connected and part of this special moment — Ed.
By FAQIR ULLAH KHAN-GHULAM QADIR
Update #2, May 14, 2026: Pre-visit preparations in Passu, Hunza
The excitement in Passu, Hunza, is palpable as preparations for the Imam’s visit have brought the community together. Laughter and joy are evident on everyone’s faces as tens of thousands prepare for the visit of the 50th Ismaili Imam, Mawlana Hazar Imam Shah Rahim Al Husssaini Aga Khan, to Pakistan from May 20-26, 2026. Hard physical and mental work has strengthened the spirit of the Jamat in Passu, which will host the Didar of the Imam-of-the-Time for the first time in 44 years. Helipads are ready. The ramp from the helipad to the Imamat lounge is lined with riverbed stones and an evergreen plantation.
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The Lounge is a traditional structure built of stone bricks, skillfully crafted and levelled by skilled labourers from Ghizer and Hunza. The woodwork and traditional skylight were skillfully completed by Siqam Artisans and Local Artisan Carpenter Ehsan from Khyber. Outside the Lounge, the green lawn has been beautifully donated and planted by volunteers and through a generous donation from Shishkat. Around 23 towers have been installed to improve the sound system at DidarGah, while the stage (Pindal) is nearing completion, with its wonderful design and elegance!!! The temporary wooden AV rooms have been built for communication and security purposes.
All seven Local Ismaili Councils have established their campsites to accommodate and facilitate Jamati members’ needs for meals, transportation, and other support during arrival and departure at Passu Didargah.
Lighting and decorations at Jamatkhanas are complete, with some still in progress, using innovative styles across the Hunza Valley. Members of the Passu Youth Organization have split the red and green lights into innovative displays around Poplar trees and the Golden Mountains. The streets and road sides provide an amazing sight for travellers on the Karakoram Highway (KKH) as they cross Passu Village. Meanwhile, a giant inscription in white stones is carved into the mountains to welcome Our Beloved Hazar Imam and visitors to Passu.
Celebrations in the form of music and dance are taking place on various occasions, while the Qasida and Ginan, with devotional songs, are gaining popularity among all the Jamati Members, with Shukrana. The intelligent use of Social Media is much appreciated.
One of the most celebrated events was the first Marathon Race on May 10, 2026, in Passu, where thousands of Jamati members, aged 14 to 95, participated enthusiastically. Held at the Passu Cricket Ground, the race catered to different age groups and skill levels, with distances ranging from 5 km to 21 km.
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“Mawlana Hazar Imam is running, so we run too”
The oldest participant in the 5 Km race was Mr Mohammad Aman Baig from Sherisabz Chipurson, who remains an eminent polo player of his time. He is also an active social worker and continues to pursue sports and healthy activities. In the Women’s category, the oldest participant was from Khyber, who successfully completed the longest 21 Km category. Many differently abled individuals also took part in the race. After the celebration and certifications, all went to Passu Didargah for lunch.
The Ismaili, the official website of the worldwide Ismaili Jamat, has released a Burushaski song celebrating Mawlana Hazar Imam’s arrival in the murid’s hometown. We invite you to listen to this beautiful song. Please click https://youtu.be/y41ZVrKQzyw.
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Update #1, May 3, 2026: Pre-visit preparations in Passu, Hunza
The residents of the historic town of Passu and surrounding areas, as well as other parts of Hunza, are earnestly and enthusiastically preparing for the arrival of Mawlana Shah Rahim Al Hussiani, His Highness the Aga Khan, in Pakistan at the invitation of the Government of Pakistan. During his first visit to Pakistan as the 50th Imam of the Ismailis, Mawlana Hazar Imam will be visiting Gilgit-Baltistan, Chitral, and Islamabad between May 20 and 26, 2026, with the ancient town of Passu hosting one of the Didars, echoing its historic role in welcoming Mawlana Shah Karim, His Late Highness Aga Khan IV, in November 1987.
Passu, which features expansive landscapes and mesmerizing, serene peaks and mountains in Gojal-Hunza along the Karakorum Highway, is an ancient town which was even mentioned in a Chinese pilgrim’s travelogue. Famous Chinese Buddhist pilgrims who travelled through the Gilgit-Baltistan region — including the area near Passu, the Hunza Valley, and surrounding passes such as Mintaka and Kilik — in the first millennium CE included Faxian (Fa-Hien), Song Yun (Sung-Yun), and Xuanzang (Hiuen Tsang). They travelled along the ancient Silk Route to India, documenting the region’s geography and Buddhist culture.
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The village of Passu and the beautiful valley areas around and in Hunza are renowned for their scenic views, including glaciers and cathedral-like peaks. Notably, the region boasts an almost 100% literacy rate, which inspires pride and respect for local educational achievements. Once home to 300 households, the Passu settlement has shifted due to land erosion, river erosion, and glacier bursts. It now has more than 200 households and a population of 1,150. Many residents shifted to the upper Gojal valleys, reflecting the community’s resilience amid environmental challenges.
Historically, the village of Passu and the entire Gojal Jamat witnessed the Didar of Mawlana Shah Karim Al-Hussaini on November 18, 1987. Now, for the second time, the Noor-e-Imamat will reflect on the land known as Didargah where Mawlana Hazar Imam Shah Rahim Al-Hussaini will bless the entire Hunza Jamat for the first time.
The current Passu Didargah was once called dasht (a barren land), which was the longest route for travellers in ancient times, on horseback and on yaks, with no water in between except the Batura Glacier to the north and the Passu Glacier to the south. The Mir of Hunza attempted 7 times to construct an irrigation channel linking the Batura and Passu Glaciers to make it a settlement area for his near and dear ones, but the attempts were unsuccessful due to the glaciers’ continuous movement.
Finally, in 1983, with funding from CIDA (Canadian International Development Fund) and the hard work of the Passu Community, the Water Channel was constructed in a few months. The area is now connected to the Batura Glacier and the Khunjrave River at two points for irrigation, while drinking water has two sources: the Passu Glacier and the Shask area along the Shimshal River.
Right after the successful construction of the irrigation water channel, this piece of land is now called “JANABAD-PASSU” because the Passu Community has worked hard to develop this area and make it thrive. The Janabad land was divided into distinct areas based on its geographical nature.
One area is called Garden (Bogh) area where orchards consist of fruits and wild trees are in abundance. The second area is residential which includes houses, a Jamatkhana, women nurseries and arable fields. The third area is the commercial area where school, hotels, restaurants, guest houses, cricket and football grounds, petrol pump, army garrison with few shops are constructed.
The biggest development now is the “Passu Didargah,” constructed at the heart of Janabad-Passu, with facilities such as the stage, pandal (pavilion), Imamat lounge, helipads, langar (kitchen), washrooms, storage facilities, and stores. The Didargah has hosted many events over the past few months, including the Takhtnishini of Hazar Imam, Eid celebrations, mass marriages, and other events that have fostered harmony and unity within the Jamat. The volunteers are leaving no stone unturned to ensure that Mawlana Hazar Imam’s visit is the most successful and memorable.
The Jamat will travel by bike, car, van, coaster, bus, and container to reach the Didar Bagh site in Passu. They will arrive from Chipurson (90 km), Shimshal (60 km), Khizerabad and Gilgit (70-100 km). They will leave their homes one or two days before the Didar. They will stay in Shishkat village and Sost before finally moving to Passu, which can accommodate around 3,500 people in traditional houses or hotels.
I wish to express our Shukrana to Mawlana Hazar Imam for blessing us with his visit to Passu. I am deeply touched by the spirit of the Jamat and by the volunteers’ efforts to make his visit a momentous one. I am pleased to share my reflections and photographs from the visit with readers of Barakah, and I will be submitting updates on the preparations underway and the Didar that will take place during the third week of May.
Passu has become a place where nature inspires, history guides, and faith unites as the Hunza Jamat prepares for the Didar of Mawlana Hazar Imam Shah Rahim Al Hussaini.
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Video: The Spirit and Joy of the Volunteers as they work hard to prepare for Mawlana Hazar Imam’s visit to Passu, Hunza
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Video: The Stage
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April 24, 2026: Announcement of His Highness the Aga Khan’s visit to Pakistan
In a Talika Mubarak read in Jamatkhanas worldwide on April 24, 2026, and reported on the Ismaili website on April 25, Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, announced his upcoming official visit to Pakistan from May 20 to 26, 2026, at the invitation of the Government of Pakistan. During the visit, he will meet with the Jamat residing in Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral, as well as government officials in Islamabad. Hazar Imam also expressed his intention to visit again in the near future to meet with the Jamat in Central and Southern Pakistan.
The historic visit to Pakistan will be the Ismaili Imam’s eighth to his spiritual children since becoming the Imam on February 4, 2025, following his recent visits to France, Kenya, Uganda, the USA, Portugal, the UK and Canada (click the links for Barakah’s special coverage of the seven visits).
We heartily congratulate the Jamat of Pakistan and share their excitement for this event. We are fully committed to providing comprehensive coverage of the visit, ensuring that our readers worldwide are well-informed, as we did for Mawlana Hazar Imam’s earlier visits. This post is dedicated to pre-arrival news and events in Pakistan’s Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral regions.
A separate post dedicated to Mawlana Hazar Imam’s visit will be published once he commences his visit to Pakistan.
External coverage:
- The Ismaili: Mawlana Hazar Imam announces official visit to Pakistan
- Chitral Today: Aga Khan Expected to Visit Pakistan from May 20 to 26
- The Nation: Prince Rahim Aga Khan to visit Pakistan next month
- Pakistan Observer (Instagram): Video. His Highness the Aga Khan will undertake his first official visit to Pakistan as the 50th Imam of the Ismaili Muslims
- Civil Society News Network (CSNN): Pakistan Prepares for Possible Visit of Aga Khan V
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2018-2024: Historical Notes — Prince Rahim Aga Khan in Pakistan
2024
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“I am honoured to accept such a distinguished award on behalf of the Aga Khan Development Network, my colleagues, our staff, and the many volunteers who work tirelessly to improve the lives of the people of Pakistan. I express my warmest gratitude to the President and Government of Pakistan for this immense recognition.” — Prince Rahim Aga Khan
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For more details about the 2024 visit, please click HERE.
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2018
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For more details about the 2018 visit, please click HERE.
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2016
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For more details about the 2016 visit, please click HERE.
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1961
Mawlana Shah Karim’s Historic Visit to Hunza
For more on this 1961 historic visit, please click HERE.
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Ginan: A perennial supplication to the Imam-of-the-Time from all his spiritual children worldwide
Transliteration
Eji, Aash Karine Ya Ali hun tere dar ubhi,
Kar jodine em mangu Ya Shah;
Dejo didar tusi mahavar datar Shah,
Hama tere charane lagu.
Translation
With hope I stand at Thy door,
O Ali! And sincerely beg of Thee;
Bless me with Thy Holy Didar,
O Great Lord and Benefactor!
At Thy Feet I fall to prostrate
and
O Exalted Islam Shah [Imam-of-the-Time]
Our Lord and Master of the Age,
To you our hearts devoutly supplicate,
O the Eternal King and Lord of our souls!
Grace us with your visit to the Indian Subcontinent
[The Imam’s base at the time was in Iran.]
O Ali! You are Eternal,
You are the Lord of Eternity.
You alone are the Knower of the End,
Of the End that has no End
(Verses from Venti Ginan and Anant Akhado composed by Pir Hasan Kabirdin)
Date posted: April 27, 2026.
Last updated: May 15, 2026 (added link to song).
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