KARACHI — A former member of the National Assembly and popular Pakistani TV host, Aamir Liaqat Hussain, died at age 50 on Thursday, local media reported.

The anchor felt discomfort in his chest on Wednesday night but didn't visit a hospital, Geo TV reported. He 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.

Aamir Liaquat Hussain switched from televangelism to politics, becoming an MP for Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party.

His employee Javed said 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 exam as he died under mysterious circumstances.

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

Survived by two children, Liaquat was married three times. He joined the PTI in 2018, following which he was elected to the National Assembly from Karachi. Liaquat later had a fallout with the party.

On Geo TV, Liaquat hosted Aalim Online, a religious program 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.

Aamir Liaquat, who worked for many of Pakistan's leading media houses over his career, was undoubtedly popular with a section of the population but many others found him highly divisive.

An eloquent speaker and a great showman who guaranteed ratings, his broadcasts were well scripted, and included religious sermons.

There were regular complaints from those whom the televangelist named and shamed publicly on his program.

In September 2008, he dedicated an entire programme to exploring the beliefs of the Ahmadis, a sect who identify themselves as Muslim but are regarded by orthodox Muslims as heretical. — Agencies