ISLAMABAD – An announcement regarding joining of famous TV presenter, Aamir Liaquat Hussain, in the ranks of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) has fueled conflict within the party due to which the matter has been shelved by party chief Imran Khan.
This was revealed by Shahzaib Khanzada during his current affairs programme on Geo TV yesterday (Oct 26). In his programme, he claimed that hours-long meeting was held by PTI senior leaders regarding the issues where the conflict erupted.
He added that PTI chief Imran Khan, Asad Umar, Imran Ismail and Naeemul Haque voted in favour of the former religious minister but other leaders, including Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Shireen Mizari, Shafaqt Mehmood, Ali Zaidi, Andleeb Abbasi and Faisal Vawda opposed his joining.
But the PTI chief did not want to restrain Dr Aamir Liaquat from becoming party member as he feared a provocative media campaign would be launched in case of refusal, Khanzada claimed.
He added that Khan had also shared the same fears during a consultative meeting with party members.
Standing their ground, opposition members also displayed some anti-PTI video clips of the TV presenter and Islamic scholar circulating on the social media.
According to Khanzada, they also said the TV personality also spread hatred against many religious scholars and individuals to defame them, adding that such person should not be allowed to join the PTI.
Claiming the same clips were playing during the PTI meeting, Shahzaib Khanzada also aired some of them in which Dr Liaquat came hard on the party accusing it of spreading riots in the name of “change”.
With the news that Liaquat is all set to join the PTI, the party faced severe criticism on social media, he said. He added that even PTI’s social media team refused to support the party in case Liaqat joined.
After opposition, the PTI chief has to shelve the matter pertaining to Amir Liaqat.
Earlier, there were reports that the TV presenter is all set to join the PTI and the same was confirmed by party leader Imran Ismail in a TV programme.
Faisal Javed Khan, a leader of Imran Khan’s party, took to Twitter on Tuesday evening, saying, “Dr. Aamir Liaquat to announce joining PTI at a press conference on October 25 in Karachi.”
Dr. @AamirLiaquat to announce joining PTI at a press conference on 25th OCT 2017 in Karachi
— Faisal Javed Khan (@FaisalJavedKhan) October 24, 2017
However, it could not happen on the set date as Dr Aamir Liaquat skipped the pressers in which he was reportedly scheduled to make an announcement in this regard.
https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/pakistan/aamir-liaquat-hussain-drops-plan-to-join-pti/
Also the PTI chairman, addressing the press conference in Karachi, said that he was in touch with Aamir Liaquat Hussain and other “opinion makers”.
“I am in touch with Aamir Liaquat and met some other opinion makers yesterday,” Khan said when asked about the former prominent Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) member.
Aamir Liaquat Hussain, who is also a renowned television celebrity, parted ways with MQM in 2016 after party founder Altaf Hussain made a hate speech on August 22 speech in which he urged his supporters to raise anti-Pakistan slogans and attack media houses.
At that time, Hussain had just rejoined MQM and was vigorously defending party on media since August 22.
Prior to his announcement of quitting the party, Hussain was taken into custody from his office on I.I. Chundrigar Road and later released by the Rangers after overnight detention.
Later, in a media statement, he announced he will never enter into politics again.
Hussain has been working in the media industry for several years now. In 2001, he joined Geo TV where he hosted Aalim Online, a religious program that gained Hussain a large following.
In 2016, Pemra had barred Hussain from hosting a Ramazan show “Inam Ghar” on Geo Entertainment for three days following his June 6 episode in which he had reenacted the suicide of a girl. He recently quit Bol News for unknown reasons.
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