Television anchor and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MNA from Karachi, Dr. Aamir Liaquat Hussain on Monday claimed that Prime Minister Imran Khan has rejected his resignation letter. The Prime Minister also said that “you [Dr. Hussain] is an asset of the PTI”.
“After a long meeting with Prime Minister Imran Khan my four-page resignation was rejected. I opened my heart told the prime minister everything. The prime minister hailed my efforts for raising my voice for Karachi’s issues and said thinking about the public was the role of an elected leader,” he said on Twitter.
Earlier in the day, Hussain had posted on social media that he was on his way to the Prime Minister’s House to submit his resignation.
Hussain who won on a PTI ticket from NA-245 in the 2018 general elections, had earlier hinted at resigning in a post on Twitter, citing reasons that he could not offer his constituents any respite from Karachi’s frequent power outages.
https://twitter.com/DBTVLive/status/1285288032845824001
“I confess that I am a helpless MNA of Karachi. I am unable to provide electricity to the people of my city. I cannot see the people of my city suffer. I will ask the prime minister for time and submit my resignation,” the former MQM member had said.
This is not the first time that the PTI MNA has been in the news for being upset at his party.
In 2018, a month after the general election, reports had emerged of differences between Hussain and the PTI after he had expressed anger with the party over failure to invite him to a dinner hosted at the Governor’s House.
According to reports, Liaquat left a WhatsApp group comprising PTI Sindh’s leaders over the issue.
Read More: Our love-hate relationship with Dr. Aamir Liaquat Hussain
Prior to leaving the WhatsApp group, Liaquat had sent a voice note in which Dr. Aamir Liaquat Hussain expressed anger towards Secretary Information Shehzada Qureshi calling on him to bring a positive change.
“You will not get the opportunity of winning so many seats. Do not be the reason to lose respect. Hurdles will be created in the future if you continue mistreatment of your own people” Liaquat was quoted as saying in the voice message.
Dr. Aamir Liaquat Hussain’s Political Career
Aamir Liaquat Hussain, a son of politician Sheikh Liaquat Hussain and renowned columnist Mahmooda Sultana, contested his maiden electoral battle in 2002 on the ticket of Muttahida Qaumi Movement from NA-249 Karachi-XI constituency. He was also appointed as the minister of state for Religious affairs and Zakat and Usher Division in September 2004 in Shaukat Aziz cabinet.
But in 2007 because of severe violation of party rules Mr. Husain was forced to resign from his seat as a member of the national assembly and as Minister of State for Religious Affairs. He quit politics in 2007. MQM also expelled him from the party in 2008. Although Mr. Hussain had joined MQM again yet he parted ways with the party after an anti-Pakistan speech made by the party head Altaf Hussain in 2016.
Read More: SC indicts Dr. Amir Liaqat: What’s next for PTI in Karachi?
In 2018, Dr. Hussain joined the PTI and termed his decision as ‘his final destination’. He was also given the party ticket to contest elections from NA-225 (Karachi). Dr. Hussain managed to win the elections mainly because of PTI’s stronghold in the city. Interestingly, PTI followers who voted for Dr. Hussain expressed their ‘anger’ on social media and conveyed PM Khan that it was his decision that they had to vote for a person like Dr. Hussain.
Making headlines in 2018
In 2018, the SC issued contempt of court notice to the leader of PTI leader allegedly for his abusive language. Dr. Hussain “accused Geo TV anchor Shahzeb Khanzada of supporting blasphemy convicts,” the court was told on August 10th, 2018. The then CJP noted that such people [like Dr. Hussain] should not be in the parliament. “He also leveled grave allegations against Najam Sethi,” the counsel added. “No one has the right to call anyone infidel or traitor.” However, Dr. Hussain finally apologized.
Read More: Will Dr. Amir Liaquat Hussain remain an MNA? Probably No
Dr. Aamir Liaquat Hussain joined the PTI on March 19, 2018. He was, however, a critic of the PTI and its chairman in the past. He not only criticized the policies of the party but also attacked the personal life of Imran Khan. Dr. Hussain was also barred by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) in December 2017. Later on, the ban was lifted and the anchorperson was allowed to appear on TV screens.