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6/1/2007 - The Good Son: How a Swiss-born, twice-married socialite became leader of the Muslims and formed the world’s largest, borderless welfare state by Nicholas Schmidle

The Good Son How Swiss twice married socialite became leader Muslims formed world largest borderless welfare state By Nicholas Schmidle June IN GULKIN A VILLAGE NESTLED HIGH Karakorum Mountains northern Pakistan Ghulam Karim volunteers already mixed poured concrete middle afternoon recent summer The consisted several dozen ranging teenagers grandfathers The older toppis traditional floppy They pulled shoebox sized stones threw another chitchatting entire Excited jumpy pushed their wheelbarrows forth younger shuttled loads soppy patio under construction They laughed joked occasion turned water other They preparing party Ghulam civic spirit reminiscent Little L eague baseball coach stood covered concrete He jeans dirty white sneakers ocean button shirt collar propped sleeves rolled elbows He fidgeted baseball resting slightly crooked while smiled fraction second before mouth curled He exuded confidence looked relatively behavior amongst Pakistanis Ghulam patio coming festivities which would clude dancing dramas prayer On July weeks after visit people Gulkin celebrated anniversary their spiritual leader His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan IV known around world simply Aga Khan In Prince Karim declared Ismaelis Shia Muslims global following between million people Ninety percent those living Hunza Valley including everyone Gulkin consider Aga Khan succes Prophet Mo hammad leader Muslims Karim doesn image typical Islamic leader He comfort tuxedo traditional Ghulam Karim right stands front robes throughout Muslim jamaat khana Gulkin world Switzerland Roshan estranged second But deeds raise profound question regarding nature religion modern world What important prophet After spending weeks traveling around Aga Khan country I closer believing Aga Khan successor Prophet Mohammad But inspiration followers impact northern Pakistan unmistakable The Aga Khan built thousands hospitals schools roads irrigation channels telephone electric lines He formed governmental ganizations NGOs people The schools known Diamond Jubilee schools funded endowment raised Prince Karim grandfather anniversary imamate That grandfather stepped scale which registered pounds followers consequently gifted pounds diamonds With proceeds established educa endowment Karim anniversary celebrated July termed Golden Jubilee weighed In areas where Ismaelis clustered northern Pakistan southwestern China Afghanistan Wakhan Corridor eastern Tajikistan Aga Khan Development Network transformed remote underde veloped illiterate communities isolated pockets progressive minded Muslims exposed world therefore minded elsewhere Pakistan At recent dinner party Islamabad female dentist Ismaeli factly The Aga Khan built world largest borderl welfare state Perhaps anything Aga Khan premium education While I Gulkin I spoke English villagers whose native guage Burushaski An north Karakorum Highway another remote Ismaeli village called Passu locals boasted BBC report attributing Passu percent literacy Ghulam learned speak English while living studying Karachi years His common story several others Gulkin Passu attended local Aga Khan sponsored schools their teens either Islamabad Karachi dergraduate graduate programs But according Ghulam Ismaeli community dedication learning English stemmed something specific Aga Khan Our farman address Lisbon Portugal which All spiritual children should speak write think English He should learn English national language recalled Ghulam The syllabus Diamond Jubi schools changed overnight added emphasis English The principal Diamond Jubi school Passu small stiff named Sher Ali Our always advising moderate English We emphasizing English students Quran Because those speak English chance succeed world PRINCE KARIM WAS BORN Geneva He spent childhood Switzerland Nairobi Ke later Harvard In while Karim working degree Islamic History grandfather Aga Khan III For first years Ismaeli Islam imamate skipped generation In Sir Sultan Mohammed Shah Aga Khan III wrote In fundamentally altered conditions world recent years great changes which taken place including overies atomic I convinced interest Shia Muslim Ismailia Community I should ceeded young brought developed during recent years midst brings outlook office Imam At years still years graduating Harvard Karim became Aga Khan IV In addition millions spiritual children Prince Karim inherited fortune Every Ismaeli percent Aga Khan known Mala Imam Property Imam While money channeled myriad development projects including paying teachers salaries Diamond Jubilee schools scattered countries around world Karim remains immense wealth One recent estimate pinned personal fortune billion including three personal On estate French countryside Karim breeds world class thoroughbred horses Profi stallions information about farms Ireland other France appear agakhanstuds Karim first marriage lasted years three children In remarried another child divorce proceedings second underway The Aga Khan international In Pakistan where Aga Khan Development Network active throughout Northern Areas Karim given protocol visiting state He built Serena Hotel Islamabad where foreign dignitaries Karim wrote constitution created Ismaelis In early century Iranian Shah conferred title His Royal Highness Karim great great grandfather That designation lasted until after Islamic Revolution Iran When Ayatollah Khomeini R Prince Karim Ghulam Roshan blonde bright stood beside Ghulam added Khomeini R I asked Ghulam bitter toward Khomeini defrocking beloved leader He least bothered If Khomeini doesn title We still believe leader Islam Prince Karim doesn fight people Khomeini His status important The internet message boards websites mostly orthodox Sunni Muslims denouncing Ismaelis heretics Aga Khan fraud On posting under Abu Bakr wrote THEAGHAKHANIS DO NOT BELIEVE EITHER IN THE FINALITY OF PROPHETHOOD IT IS STRANGE THAT WHILE QADIANIS HAVE BEEN DECLARED ANON MUSLIM MINORITY ON ACCOUNT OF THEIR DENIAL OF THE FINALITY OF PROPHETHOOD THEAGHAKHANIS DE SPITE THEIR KUFRIC BELIEFS CONTINUE TO BE TREATED AS CONSTITUTIONAL MUSLIMS IN PAKISTAN Ghulam Wali resident Passu Ismaeli classmates Karachi University harass Muslim They How yourself Muslim lives France But where lives important These being misguided their ulema religious leaders Many Ismaeli customs diverge those observed Sunnis mainstream Shias For instance Ismaelis mosque Rather everyone children women congregate twice jamaat khana gather house which doubles local community center theater concert That where Ghulam other volunteers pouring concrete afternoon Moreover Ismaeli Islam mullahs Because Aga Khan present thought direct descendant Prophet Mohammad followers wonder would anyone proper Islamic behavior The jamaat khana overseen mukhi whose ollect obligatory tithe twice daily prayer services For these services mukhi selects particular farman speech given Aga Khan aloud At jamaat khana Gulkin prayer times written Ghulam assistant mukhi mukhi magic marker white board hanging beside front Ghulam service hardly lasts minutes He INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS people other things spend jamaat khana Even theosophy supporting Ismaeli Islam differs mainstream sects Most Sunnis extent Shias contend twisted corrupt poverty stricken experience testing ground In world therefore hardship almost welcomed multiplies sensa misery elation reaching world Ismaelis however little solace being Certainly Prince Karim makes qualms about enjoying racehorses vacations Sardinia social schedule Though accumulated wealth millions followers match personal wealth succeeded bringing century previously remote villages Gulkin He seems ready settle nothing global empire progressive minded Muslims following message peace dialogue moderation No matter I looked asked around I couldn detect confrontational sentiments Ismaeli This hundred percent secular community Sher Ali teacher Passu His Highness offer religious advice There conflict between Ismaeli constitution government constitution Re garding politics tells In whatever country should their rules regulations Whether Musharraf Gen Zia Qazi HusseinAhmed cooperate In Ahmed Jamaat Islami threatened Karim through Aga Khan University Education Board tried interfere Pakistan education system I miserable Ashraf Khan another teacher joined conversation added General Zia Taliban minded Pakistan leaders respectful friend His Highness I asked Ashraf whose sunburn linesofamarathon runner whethertheprospect ofthe Taliban religious parties gaining power Pakistan worried If MMA coalition fundamentalist religious parties government under Qazi Hus Ahmed Maulana Fazlur Rahman already making statements against Ismaelis comes power national level might problem IBRAHIM AN EMPLOYEE theAga Khan Rural Support Network AKRSP frail balding early ambitious hairdo parted above He deputed AKRSPoffice Gilgit around sisted objections ending every sentence When arrived morning Sarai Silk Route Hotel Passu riding charcoal Toyota Land Cruiser I drinking thyme eating cherries These cherries perfect balance sweet I hardly every stopped eating during weeks I spent Northern Areas The stomach eating I decided worth You cherries native Hunza Valley Ibrahim minutes later around breakfast table planning Oh No We brought I Ibrahim prankster someone going drive around mountains northern Pakistan three accuse fibbing quite Still I looked somewhat incredulous Later I found telling truth Shortly after AKRSP established placed order cherry rootstock France They planted rootstock nursery Gilgit waited happened By limbs AKRSP exotic cherry trees sagging fruit waiting plucked Izhar Hunzai General Manager ofAKRSP Gilgit capital NorthernAreas people Islamabad refused first They undevel plums Many people never cherries before It cherries We brought Golden Delicious apples Red Delicious apples New Jersey variet semen Angora sheep varieties poplar Ibrahim standingin front jamaatkhana Gulkin NES trees honey wheat varieties Simit Mexico world premier wheat According Hunzai single rupee worth agriculture grown Northern Areas country before AKRSP started billion Rupees around US million worth agricultural products Northern Areas country meaning Punjab North West Frontier Province Sindh Baluchistan every Besides proving source income nourish crops trees prevented landslides wiping villages clinging sides Karako mountains In first years AKRSP activities planted million trees irrigated thousands acres previously brown rockyearth Hunzai cultivatable NorthernAreas Chitral adjacent district North West Frontier Province populated Ismaelis doubled since Most mountainsides throughout Northern Areas barren layer boulders precari ously sandcastle before rising While driving north Gilgit Islamabad passed through downpour lasting minutes which caused landslides blocked stopped traffic hours On either Karakorum Highway Gilgit China mountains covered boulder strewn topsoil until reach either village blooming poplar trees grass fruit orchards ubiquitous messages Aga Khan saying Welcome Hazar Imam We Love Hazar Imam Hazar Imam means Present Imam To these Karim faithful followers repelled mountain stacking white rocks large enough helicopter kilometer wrote paeans On mountainside facing Passu white rocks spelled Welcome Passu Our Beloved Hazar Imam November Ashraf Khan teacher Dia Jubilee school there Passu November At around AKRSP helicopter landed His Highness He helicopter Land Cruiser toward darbar A darbar place where royalty received In Passu consisted boulders concrete stage Ismaeli scouts youth volunteers dressed khaki uniforms green striped scarf around their necks lined ernment police security allowed darbar Everyone meditating fingering prayer beads Spiritually In His Highness presence believe difficulties world simply disappear Some people crying tears happiness What about What usually faith development world answered Ashraf served assistant mukhi people allowed inside surrounding stage Did Aga Khan anything He nodded What Ashraf blushed I remember You remember Another teacher interrupted smiling Whateve His Highness something special Ashraf It special message But private tween His Highness Ashraf remembered Karim speaking about minutes before leaving stage motoring helicopter boarding aircraft No audience moved The craft lifted began following Hunza River through canyon toward Gilgit Everyone still sitting crying His Highness helicopter disappeared behind mountain crossed Passu Ashraf Shortly after Passu finally connected national electricity Every November celebrating Ashraf Villagers gather jamaat khana anniversary Karim visit farman Karim THERE USED TO BE HORRIFYING POV ERTY Northern Areas Chitral Ibrahim thinking before AKRSP began operations I animals Really I slept cattle Later I Ibrahim village house sleep animals But Hunza Valley under control Pakistan For centuries Hunza Valley ruled local In former Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto abolished colonial agreement allowed Mir orking Hunzatorule unfettered HunzaValley exchange proclaimed fealty Pakistani govern inIslamabad The Mir feudallordwho allow anyone education pursue businesses Ibrahim continued And worst Mir allow leave He soldiers borders Hunza caught Ibrahim voiced trailed But Mir representative His Highness theAga Khan And charge collecting Karim first visit Northern Areas three years after became theAga Khan When KKH Karakorum Highway started Northern Areas totally landlocked People Gilgit Chitral The Aga INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS Khan Field MarshallAyub Khan They military plane Gilgit Nagar traveled Hunza horseback explained Ibrahim Hunzai general manager AKRSP later recalled Karim Ayub Khan flying Gilgit taking horse donkey track Karimabad major Hunza Valley Regardless their transport visit strong impression Karim mainly because there development Pakistani government For sixty years government relief resident Sost Pakistan before travelers clear customs enter China The people doing anything NGOs Aga Khan Development Network At Aga Khan Health Services clinic Aliabad adjacent Karimabad Dr Kher Hayat inpatient clinic offering quality Hunza Nagar Baltistan Nagar neighboring Hunza Baltistan covers eastern Northern Areas I asked there weren government hospitals providing decent services Hayat looked exasperated He replied There civic hospital Aliabad doctor Eighty years later there still doctor We walked Hayat office through courtyard planted rosebushes waiting where multi colored charts covered Hayat guided through One chart titled Infant Mortal Rate resembled pitch double black diamond slope In Extended Care Facility opened Aliabad Hunza Nagar Valleys deaths children As dropped This because struggle efforts local people Hayat He local residents educating themselves causes remedies disease instead relying outdated customs Another chart titled Family Planning grabbed attention Throughout Pakistan mention family planning taboo Whenever I I children someone inevitably Why To answer I young I Kids comes across selfish atheistic Don worry Allah provide In their minds children doubt Allah ability provide family which doubtAllah And jobless women having twelve fourteen Ismaelis understand merits contraception Hayat Through Aga Khan Devel opment Network family dropped literacy jumped He showed chart displaying people received which forms contraception INJ De IUCD Intrauterine Contraceptive Device Condoms Pills In Depo shots given condoms passed Though numbers small programs exist public knowledge considered accomplish itself Later Hayat telling where studied including Liverpool Tropical School Medicine Aga Khan University Karachi I asked always planned Aga Khan Health Services AKHS native Northern Areas When I started medical school there network Aga Khan health centers Sure I wondered about future people And I I started residency Aga Khan University Pediatrics But Hayat still convinced Then while Hayat working Aga Khan Hospital Karachi Karim surprise visit There Northern Areas His Highness Get training Northern Areas If China would right Definitely definitely His Highness advising basis He wants people things further humanitarian mission Hayat explained He advising Afghanistan fight jihad against Americans He offers advice WHEN THE AGA KHAN RURAL SUPPORT PROGRAM launched early 1980s trained forts infrastructure projects paving roads building bridges erecting electricity poles course planting cherry trees But years later those projects completed organization shifted attention labor intensive projects sustaining social community based develop Initially there serious agriculture infrastructure Izhar Hunzai AKRSPhead Gilgit Now cutting hardware development switching softw development local governance initiatives When I Gulkin I asked Ghulam largest AKRSP project currently going village He thought moment baseball scratched turned Roshan blonde haired friend Ghulam something about canal built years The biggest projects accomplishments physical projects Roshan mental progress The project important expanded mental horizons The Aga Khan Development Network umbrella organization oversees dozens Aga Khan sored development agencies includingAKRSP Aga Khan Health Services Aga Khan Education Services states creating strong independent societies empowered individuals For example never builds NES irrigation channel retaining unless locals organize their specifically reque project assistance AKRSP We think spoon people Ibrahim I asked AKRSP planted poplar trees every villagers building We planted trees If coming people incentive sustainable As shift software development AKRSPhas facilitated variety NGOs Karakorum Area Development Organization KADO KADO formed mission similar AKRSP Ghulam Ali KADO thirtysomething CEO KADO improve living conditions rural population Hunza Valley albeit special focus women KADO introduced system trash collection whereby neighbors pitch installed their nominal monthly charge tractor through every second third remove their garbage KADO brought internet Hunza Valley Ali tourists especially foreign grateful internet access while touring Northern Areas reason establishing broadband server local businesses This trekking guides coordinate their itinerar potential visitors while farmers check weather reports their crops online In July KADO opened Gem Cutting Polishing Center Karimabad where women Hunza Valley learn locally mined precious stones sellable pieces jewelry But doesn there Ali Besides customizing these stones according buyers tastes establish technical institute mining product design When I visited Gem Cutting Polishing Cen dozen women working replica models Japanese designed cutting machines sparkling clean three walls mirror window looking Hunza Valley Daula Bibi woman shoulders prominent bangs fingernails cutting piece natural quartz emerald She began training March worked machine which about sound small table Every morning walks minutes uphill village practices cutting hours returns In evenings teaches night classes jamaat khana Night classes closest thing Ismaelis madrassa They designed children Quran discuss farmans Aga Khan learn about Ismaeli faith Sher Ali headmaster Diamond Jubilee school Passu They schools religious education He assured there memoriza brainwashing going there We believe memorization Quran That Taliban education Daulat getting bored night classes heard about Gem Cutting Polishing Center opening wanted I motivated I reliant I asked joined Daulat sisters study Gilgit married living village At years Daulat reaching could become difficult suitor But worried besides things going right She would husband later As talked fifteen minutes I looking Daulat shoulder watching A small tainer suspended inches above machine dripped steady stream water blade quartz lubricated It better cutting Daulat As pushed quartz blade water sprayed The notepad itself Daulat friendly polite But entire I there never stopped working JUST ACROSS A CHURNING RIVER OF GLA CIERMELT Ismaeli dominated Hunza Valley Nagar Valley populated mostly mainstream Shia Muslims There mountains dividing valleys technically valley historically however separate kingdoms Upon entering Nagar I immediately noticed change Hunza roads bumpier piles trash around local people smiled When I asked Dr Hayat Aga Khan Health Clinic Aliabad whether differ ences between patients Hunza Nagar there definite differences If infant mortality forty Hunza sixty Nagar plained But because close communities pointed Nagar across river people INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS Nagar giving education females And health Nonetheless entered village Minapin I brief second I Tehran Someo written large white paint Marg Bar Amrika Persian translation Death America favorite chant Iranian rallies A little further English I Death USA Death Israel written paint another Fifty percent people Iran Iran clerics Iranian politics Syed Yahya Shah political activist Minapin Little individual people emotional always repeating slogans Iran None where Israel America Shah loose dangly beard dangling The sitting around table orchard apple cherry apricot trees beside house brown known toppi flopped Shah descends prominent Syed indicated bloodline could traced Prophet Mohammad throughout 1960s fought against annical Mir Nagar In Mir arrested thrown But Shah activism planted seeds discontent among common people Two years later Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto abolished Mir Nagar regime Shah He emerged prison So Aga Khan Development Network decided wanted offer services Nagar contacted Shah asked Initially Aga Khan sponsored education health programs strictly Ismaelis The funds Dia Jubilee schools Ismaeli donors reason spend their money other sects especially those openly hostile toward Ismaelis But environment fragile sectarian relations Pakistan Prince Karim aggravate tensions He concerned these programs benefiting Ibrahim So after visit Northern Areas stopped Passu Karim decided expand neigh boring Shia Sunni areas showed their thanks continuing Ismaelis kafirs infidels refusing their Diamer district majority Sunni district Northern Areas accepted assistance Aga Khan Development Network In Nagar Shah The local mullahs resisted They purpose Aga Khan missionary I missionary project Personally I elders Some mullahs stubborn But I everywhere General Manager AKRSP locals could weren trying convert When Aga Khan visited Nagar years later Shah there welcome I founders AKRSP bragged AKRSP meant sectarian Izhar Hunzai general manager Gilgit office He pointed where pictures prior general manag Several Sunnis Christian Th demand certain services women education programs higher Ismaeli areas But would Aga Khan people allege followers Muslims Those Muslims Ismaelis created Pakistan Hunzai Jinnah Ismaeli This Aga Khan grandfather first president Muslim League He principle proved British separate Muslim Hindu states India He president League Nations The Aga Khan grandfather sound earlier incarnation Bono I Hunzai thought compare U2 singer exalted spiritual leader second ponder comparison After titling chair nodded You level Bono His Highness totally prejudices ICWA Letters ISSN published Institute Current WorldAffairs Inc exempt operating foundation incorporated New York State offices located Street NW Suite Washington D C 20016 The letters provided charge members ICWA available libraries professional researchers Phone Fax 0498E Web Executive Director Steven Butler Bookkeeper Program Assistant James GuyPublications Manager Ellen Kozak Institute Current World Affairs The Crane Rogers Foundation The Information contained publication reprinted republished without express written consent Institute Current World Affairs