Ushna Shah, Mishi Khan among others rethink public perception of Aamir Liaquat after his passing

Aamir Liaquat Hussain’s untimely demise last week left netizens and most celebrities scrambling for words, primarily because many had previously, actively participated in criticisng his life choices.

The late host became a soft target for trolls because of his controversial remarks on and off screen, regular and unhinged social media presence and his marriages. But his death left many contemplating and regretting anything they may have said that might have triggered his deteriorating mental health before passing.

Some also took out the time to defend his third wife, Dania Shah, who is being held responsible by many on Twitter for whatever it is that led to his passing. And it won’t be wrong to say most users and artists have either changed their mind about Hussain or his death has offered them a crushing reality check.

Apologies pour in

Actor Mishi Khan is the latest to have put out a public apology for offering to pay for the late televangelist’s permanent leave from Pakistan last month. Hussain had shared a video, lamenting how he would not be able to stay in the country after his private videos were leaked online.

“I am very embarrassed and I would like to be excused,” Khan said in a video message. “He [Hussain] is no longer in this world and my heart was heavy. I couldn't make a video or write a message for him. Humans are emotional beings. Perhaps the things that had been happening in the last few days [before his passing] made me feel really bad since I admired him a lot because of his knowledge and personality. Watching such a knowledgeable man and talented host do those things led me to make that video. And it is a burden on my heart now. I ask Allah for forgiveness if that video hurt his heart, his fans and family,” she added.

Actor Ushna Shah also wrote, “I think we all feel guilty, this will haunt me for years. I should have reached out or spoken up for him.” Anoushey Ashraf, on the other hand, expressed her sadness in an Instagram Story. "I was always encouraging of the idea that maybe his outbursts were a cry for help,” she claimed. “Help he may not have known he needed. People may get offended by my thoughts but I've genuinely felt a professional would have been able to handle his stresses and personality disorder better." She then added, "Rest in peace, Aamir Liaquat, for as much as I disagreed with your ways of doing things, I never wished to see this day. I truly feel at loss today."

In 2020, when Hussain joked about Adnan Siddiqui being the “cause” of Sri Devi and Irrfan Khan’s death, Ashraf had shared his video condemning the distasteful jibe. “This makes me so sad. What must the world think of Pakistanis if Amir Liaquat behaves this way and gets away with it? How can you respect a man who can’t even respect the dead?” she had asked.

‘Dark power’ of social media

In February this year, social media users made memes out of Hussain for sharing intimate pictures and videos of himself and Shah straight from their bedroom. When Hussain condemned the needless trolling, actor and rapper Ahmed Ali Butt said in an Insta Story, “When you post something from the privacy of your bedroom, just remember you invited the whole world in, so don’t complain when they don’t leave.”

The then PTI MNA hit back with a video message for people ‘jealous’ of him: “Suno! Tamam jalne waloun including Ahmed Ali Butt suno! Apnay dimagh ka password dena, mujhe aqal install kerhni hai (Listen up! All the jealous people, including Ahmed Ali Butt, listen up. Give me the password to your brain, I want to install some sense).”

Now, Hussain’s death has led many, who never commented on his personal life, to take the opportunity to school the ones who did. Zara Noor Abbas was the first to tweet about why his death should not have come as a shock. "And that’s the filth that social media has. The dark power. It can ruin people and throw them into a pit of hollowness. And now suddenly Aamir Liaquat becomes a sad and shocking demise. Why is everyone shocked? Wasn’t every passed video of him a lead to where he is now?" she wrote on Thursday as tributes poured in.

Sinf-e-Aahan actor Merub shared, "Step 1: Make memes on people. Step 2: Play God and punish them. Step 3: When they leave this world and put sympathetic posts. Repeat." She then added, "Who is going to put an end to this aimless trolling?"

Leave Dania alone

On that note, many are also rallying for Shah, who seems to have replaced Hussain as a soft target for trolls. Irrespective of the fact that his private videos were mercilessly exchanged and mocked while only a few acknowledged them to be “revenge porn”.

Farhan Saeed tweeted, “Everyone who's blaming this girl Dania for Aamir Liaquat’s death, I am sorry to tell you that all of those who shared and spread his videos and memes are also part of bringing him down.” The Thodi Der singer added, “It’s about time we as a nation stop taking joy out of someone’s misery. It says a lot about us!”

Yashma Gill has also urged everyone to leave Shah alone. “Let Dania Shah be!” she demanded in on Instagram.

“One life already gone, let’s not even take the risk of putting another at risk and let Allah SWT be the judge of all.” She went on to reinstate the lesson we must all adhere to going forward. “She must’ve or must’ve not done bad things but haven’t we realised already that we are no one to judge?” asked Gill.

Death doesn’t make up for life

Since Hussain’s life had turned into a spectacle for our entertainment-hungry audiences, there are still celebrities who feel whatever he did was unforgivable, so much so, that his death cannot compensate for his “immoral” advances. Armeena Khan, who initially felt sorry for Hussain’s passing and preached the need to prioritise mental health, retracted her condolence soon after “reading up” more about Hussain. She cited this newly-found knowledge of his antics to be the reason for her change of mind.

“Just brushing up on my reading about Aamir Liaquat. I take back whatever little I said in his support, the man was preaching hate in his life. May God do justice to Mr Liaquat’s victims directly/indirectly. May we all be given hidayat.”

The jury is still out on whether Hussain’s is a loss that should be mourned but one thing is for certain, it cannot be celebrated. The popular television personality passed away on Thursday at his residence in Karachi. Reportedly, the Karachi-based politician was found unconscious at his house and rushed to a hospital in the provincial capital.