Aamir Liaquat Hussain passes away in Karachi

KARACHI: Renowned TV personality and PTI’s Member National Assembly (MNA) Aamir Liaquat Hussain passed away in Karachi on Thursday. He was 50.

The outspoken anchor was found unconscious at his home and shifted to a private hospital in a critical condition, where he was declared dead, according to his servants.“Hussain had passed away about 15 to 20 minutes before he was brought to hospital,” confirmed Chhipa welfare organisation’s head, Ramzan Chhipa.

“Doctor Sahib was not feeling well and felt discomfort in his chest last night [night between Wednesday and Thursday] but refused to go to hospital,” his domestic help narrated. “We rushed to his room today [Thursday] after he screamed with pain. We broke open the door and found him unconscious.”

The lawmaker’s cause of death is yet to be ascertained as the police and doctors were waiting for his family to conduct his post-mortem. Senior police officials and experts from the crime scene investigation department also visited his residence and gathered evidence.

Hussain was living with his two domestic servants at his residence in Karachi’s Khudadad Colony. The police received the first information around 1pm from one of his servants. “The details of the items seized from the house cannot be disclosed as it is part of the investigations,” says District East SSP Abdur Raheem Shirazi. “The actual cause could be ascertained only after an autopsy.”

The police investigators have seized Aamir Liaquat’s cellphone and a tablet. They are also examining the footage recorded by the CCTV cameras installed at his residence and its surroundings. They also met his first wife. A medical board has been formed to conduct his post-mortem which is expected following the arrival of his son who is living abroad.

Born on July 5, 1971 in Karachi, Amir was a politician, television host, naat khwan, and has been listed three times in ‘The 500 influential Muslims’ worldwide. He was first elected as an MNA on Muttahida Qaumi Movement ticket from 2002 to 2007, and served as the Minister of State for Religious Affairs from 2004 to 2007 under Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz. He was considered close to former president General Pervez Musharraf (retd). However in 2007, the party asked him to step down as MNA over differences.

After a few years, he rejoined the MQM and was the only party member who came up with lame excuses to defend Altaf Hussain over his controversial remarks on August 22, 2016 on which he was detained by the Rangers for a few hours.

The next day, Aamir announced quitting politics forever. His announcement, however, did not last long as he joined the PTI in March 2018.

He was once again elected an MNA in 2018’s general election on the PTI ticket from Karachi’s PIB Colony (NA-245). However, he developed differences with the party and emerged as one of around 20 dissident MNAs.

The TV host had contracted three marriages, all ending up in separation. After his third wife, Dania Shah, filed for divorce, Aamir decided to “leave Pakistan forever.” He was depressed since his third wife leaked his objectionable videos before filing for divorce. However, his close friend denied that the lawmaker was in depression. “Yes, he had been depressed, but now he was fine and was planning to perform Haj,” says his friend Fahad Khan. Starting his media career in 2001 after joining the Geo TV network, he hosted “Aalim Online”, which contributed greatly to his early popularity. He also remained associated with different media groups. He continued hosting Ramazan shows throughout his career.

According to his will, the popular TV host would be buried next to his parents as he had already booked a grave for himself during his lifetime in the compound of the shrine of Sufi saint Abdullah Shah Ghazi in Clifton locality.

The death was widely condoled by politicians and people from all walks of life. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed grief and sorrow over the death of MNA Dr Aamir Liaquat Hussain. In his message, he prayed for the soul of Aamir Liaquat to rest in peace. He also prayed for grant of patience to his family to bear the loss.

Imran Khan said in a tweet: “Saddened to learn of passing of our MNA Aamir Liaquat. My condolences and prayers go to his family.”

National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf adjourned the session, which had started earlier on Thursday, till 5pm on Friday after receiving news of the MNA’s death.

President Dr Arif Alvi, Acting Sindh Governor Agha Siraj Durrani, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, MQM-P Convener Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Pak-Sarzameen Party Chairman Mustafa Kamal, senior politician Dr Farooq Sattar have expressed sorrow over the death.