DUSHANBE, April 5, 2012, Asia-Plus — Prince Karim Aga Khan IV, Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims, has said that an Ismaili Center has been officially registered in Dushanbe under Tajikistan”s law on religion, Radio Liberty’ Tajik Service reported on April 4.
RFE/RL notes that the previously unannounced visit came as Tajikistan faces economic pressure from its neighbor Uzbekistan — including cuts to badly needed electricity and natural gas supplies and the closure of road and railway connections between the two countries that Tajikistan needs as transit routes to Kazakhstan and world markets.
Analysts say the Aga Khan”s visit is aimed at showing that Rahmon is not politically and economically isolated in Tajikistan, RFE/RL’s Tajik Service reported.
On April 2, Tajikistan”s embassy in Moscow accused Uzbekistan of imposing a blockade in order “to make Dushanbe adopt decisions profitable for Tashkent.”
But Uzbekistan has rejected those accusations.
According to RFE/RL, the Aga Khan said his talks with President Emomali Rahmon on April 4 focused on difficult living conditions for many residents of the country after a long, harsh winter: “With regard to the discussions with His Excellency the President we reviewed the situation in the region,” he said. “And we spent some time looking at the questions concerning national infrastructure in Tajikistan — because like many countries which are an integral part of a regional process, the way in which each country functions is very important indeed.”
The Aga Khan told reporters after his talks with Rahmon that he will continue to invest in water, road, energy, and communications projects in Tajikistan, RFE/RL reported, noting that his network has already financed five key bridges in the country and a five-star hotel in Dushanbe as well as agriculture and education projects.
He reportedly indicated that his network has “an ongoing development program for Tajikistan” that would also cover other spheres of activity such as culture, health care, and economic development.
“We have a number of areas where we will continue to commit resources to the future of Tajikistan,” the Aga Khan said.
