Politics
Breaking: Popular televangelist and lawmaker is dead
One of Pakistan’s most prominent televangelist and lawmaker, Aamir Liaquat Hussain, has died aged 50 after being found unconscious at his home in Karachi.
The anchor was taken to hospital on Thursday morning, June 9, but pronounced dead on arrival. A post mortem exam is being carried out.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader was found unconscious at his home in Khudad Colony and shifted to a private hospital in a critical condition.
According to reports, Liaquat felt discomfort on Wednesday night, however, he refused to go to the hospital, reported Pakistan’s local media outlet Geo TV.
Javed, Liaquat’s employee said a scream was heard from Liaquat’s room Thursday morning. The room was locked from the inside. When there was no response from the other end, his domestic staff broke down his room’s door. He was found unconscious and rushed to the hospital where doctor pronounced him dead.
Police initiated an investigation into Amir Liaquat’s death. The police also conducted a search at his home in Karachi’s Khudadad Colony.
Aamir Liaquat Hussain switched from televangelism to politics, becoming an MP for former prime minister, Imran Khan’s PTI party.
His career was plagued by controversy as he famously gave babies to childless couples on TV and was banned for hate speech.
He married for a third time but it ended publicly and acrimoniously within months. His 18-year-old bride Dania Shah filed for divorce in May, accusing him of domestic abuse and being a drug addict.
There were regular complaints to the government from those whom the televangelist named and shamed on his shows. He would accuse people of acts such as blasphemy, treachery or fornication.
He was a member of parliament from 2002 until 2008, when he was expelled by the MQM party. He served as the minister of state for religious affairs from 2004 to 2007 under then president Pervez Musharraf.
