Tuesday, September 22, 1998 Published at 01:30 GMT 02:30 UK
World: Asia-Pacific

Aga Khan gets a warm welcome in Tajikistan

The spiritual leader of the world's Ismaili community, the Aga Khan, has arrived in the Central Asian State of Tajikistan to a tumultuous welcome.

More than two-thousand Ismailis, most of whom live in the south of the country, turned out to see the man they worship as a living god.

The Aga Khan last came to Tajikistan three years ago to meet his followers from whom he had been separated by Soviet rule.

Since independence, the Aga Khan has poured millions of dollars into the country in aid and also played a part in brokering the peace in Tajikistan's civil war.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service


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