Former Pakistan Minister and TV Host Aamir Liaquat Passes Away at 50

Liaqat was shifted to Aga Khan University Hospital after he was found unconscious at his home in Karachi.

Former Member of the National Assembly and popular Pakistani TV host Aamir Liaquat died at age 50 on Thursday, 9 June, Dawn reported.

(Photo: Altered by The Quint) 

Former Member of the National Assembly and popular Pakistani TV host Aamir Liaquat died at age 50 on Thursday, 9 June, Dawn reported.

Liaquat felt discomfort in his chest on Wednesday, 8 June night but didn't visit a hospital, local Pakistan media outlet Geo TV reported.

The former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader was later shifted to Aga Khan University Hospital in critical condition after he was found unconscious at his home in Khudad Colony, Karachi. He was declared dead at the hospital.

Liaquat's employee Javed said that he heard a scream from the former religious affairs minister's room on Thursday morning. Liaquat's staff had to break open the door to his room, which was locked from the inside, when they didn't hear a response from him.

The police have begun investigating Liaquat's death and have decided to conduct a post-mortem examination as he died under mysterious circumstances. The senior superintendent of police (SSP East) said that the police would pursue CCTV footage in an attempt to ascertain the facts that led to the PTI leader's death, the report by Dawn added.

Speaker Raja Parvaiz Ashraf adjourned the National Assembly session till 5 pm after he received the news of Liaquat's death.

Survived by two children, Liaquat was married thrice and joined the PTI in 2018, following which he was elected as an MNA from Karachi. Liaquat later had a fallout with the party.

On Geo TV, Liaquat hosted Aalim Online, a religious programme that gained him a large following.

A key leader of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Liaquat exited the party in August 2016, claiming at the time that he would not rejoin politics.

Liaquat was the subject of several controversies over the course of his career as a television host. Multiple shows were banned by Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) due to hate speech, with the Islamabad High Court barring Liaquat from making an appearance on electronic media.

Social Media Reacts

His death elicited a slew of social media responses. While some said that there was no need to 'hero-worship him,' others said that the news of his death was quite shocking.

(With inputs from Dawn and Geo TV.)