KABUL – Tens of Thousands of people offered fateha for Prof. Burhanuddin Rabbani at different mosques in Kabul and Pakistan's commercial hub Karachi on Saturday. Assassinated by a militant posing as an emissary of a top Taliban leader, the former president was laid to rest in the Wazir Akbar Khan diplomatic enclave on Friday.

Condolence ceremonies for the chief peace negotiator were held at Presidency, Wazir Akbar Khan, Sherpur, Eidgah and other mosques in Kabul.

President Hamid Karzai, ex-jihadi leaders, government officials, representatives of several countries and residents participated in the memorial services.

Afghan refugees and political leaders in Pakistan's port city of Karachi also attended a similar event. Abdul Haq Haqyar, Afghan consul general, and Awami National Party lawyer Hameed Khattak were among the participants.

Rabbani was killed by the enemies of peace at a time when he was about to bring stability to Afghanistan, Khattak said.

Funeral prayers in absentia and fateha for the late leader were also offered in Paktika and Maidan Wardak provinces.

Residents of Paktika were sad over the death of Rabbani, who worked diligently for peace and stability, the provincial council head, Mubin Faqirzada, said during a ceremony.

Rabbani's death was a great blow to the peace process, Faqirzada said, adding the reconciliation effort would continue.

Government officials, tribal elders and religious scholars attended Rabbani's funeral in absentia and offered fateha for him in Maidan Wardak.

"Prof. Rabbani wanted to end the current crisis with politics of harmony, peace and national unity," Governor Muhammad Haleem Fidayee said on the occasion.