Shaheed Foundation Pakistan expresses its deep condolences on the death of great Muslim Scholar and Iraqi Leader Abdul Aziz Al Hakeem 59 (1950-2009) and the head of Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq (ICSI) who died of a lung cancer on 26th August 2009 in Iran.

Abdul Aziz al-Hakim nominated the head of the ICSI in August 2003 after his brother Ayatollah Mohammed Baqir al-Hakim who was martyred in the holy city of Najaf on 29th August 2003 along with dozens of momineens.

Their father, Grand Ayatollah Mohsen al-Hakim, was a revered Shia spiritual leader between 1955 and 1970. Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Muhsin al-Tabataba'i al-Hakim (1889-1970) was born into a family, the Tabatabai, renowned for its scholarship. He was always in the forefront to defend Islam and Muslims. He became the sole Marja in 1961 after the death of Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Husayn Borujerdi.

Abdul Aziz al-Hakim never held any post in the Iraqi government which was established after the overthrow of Saddam Hussein, but he was still an important power broker.

Mourners will hold a funeral procession in Tehran on Thursday which will start in front of the Iraqi Embassy. Later his body will be transferred to Najaf for burial.

ISCI, which is the largest Shia grouping in Iraq, recently joined with followers of Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr to form a new political alliance to contest the parliamentary elections scheduled for January 2010