Uzbekistan To Bury Late Strongman Karimov

SAMARKAND, Uzbekistan,(APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News -3rd Sep,2016) : Uzbekistan will bury President islam Karimov on Saturday, after his death plunged the Central Asian nation into the greatest period of uncertainty in its post-Soviet history with no clear successor to the iron-fisted ruler.

Karimov, 78, was pronounced dead late Friday after he suffered a stroke last weekend and fell into a coma, authorities said, following days of speculation that officials were delaying making his death public.

The Islamic funeral for the strongman -- who dominated the ex-Soviet nation for some 27 years -- is being held in his home city of Samarkand, central Uzbekistan, Saturday and the country will begin three days of mourning.

An AFP journalist in the famed Silk Road city -- which houses the mausoleum of feared 14th century warlord Tamerlane -- said police had cordoned off the centre and were not letting ordinary citizens or cars through.

Despite his brutal quarter century rule earning him a reputation abroad as one of the region's most savage despots who ruthlessly stamped out opposition, people in Karimov's hometown mourned his passing and some youths wore black clothes.