Renowned humorist Mushtaq Yusufi passes away

KARACHI: Renowned Urdu satirist, humorist and author Mushtaq Ahmed Yusufi passed away in Karachi on Wednesday after a brief ailment. He was 94.

The celebrated humour writer was admitted to a hospital after contracting pneumonia a few days ago. He was put on a ventilator after his condition worsened, and doctors pronounced him dead on Wednesday. Yusufi was born to a learned family of Rajasthan’s district Tonk on August 4, 1921. His father Abdul Karim Khan Yusufi was chairman of the Jaipur Municipality, and later Speaker of the Jaipur Legislative Assembly. He acquired a master's degree in philosophy from Agra University after which he completed his LLB from Aligarh Muslim University. He arrived in Karachi after independence and got employment in a bank. He was awarded Quaid-e-Azam Memorial Medal for distinguished services in banking.

Yusufi served the Urdu literature throughout his life and in recognition of his literary services the government of Pakistan bestowed him with Sitara-e-Imtiaz and Hilal-e-Imtiaz. He also received Pakistan Academy of Letters Award for Best Book in 1990. He had authored five bestsellers: Chiragh Talay, Khakam-ba-Dahan, Zarguzasht, Aab-i-Gum and Sham-e-Shair-e-Yaaraan.

The Pakistan People's Party co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan’s convener Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s Sindh president Shah Muhammad Shah and other leaders have expressed sorrow over the demise of Yusufi. The literary circles have also expressed deep grief at the death of Yusufi and acknowledged his literary services.