Mushtaq Ahmad Yusufi

Mushtaq Ahmad Yusufi is a renowned Pakistani Urdu satirist and humorist. He gained fame through his literary contributions and held leadership positions within various national and international financial institutions.

Early life and education

Yusufi was born on 4 September 1923 into a learned family in Jaipur, Rajasthan. His paternal lineage traces back to the Yusufzai clan of the Pashtun descent. On his maternal side, he belonged to the Rajput Rathore clan. His father, Abdul Karim Khan Yusufi, served as the chairman of the Jaipur Municipality and later acted as the Speaker of the Jaipur Legislative Assembly.

He completed his early schooling in Rajputana before moving on to higher studies. He earned a BA from Agra University. Subsequently, he obtained an MA in Philosophy and an LL.B. from Aligarh Muslim University. Following the partition of India and the subsequent formation of Pakistan, his family migrated to Karachi.

Career

Yusufi began his professional journey in the banking sector in 1950 when he joined Muslim Commercial Bank. He eventually rose to the position of deputy general manager. In 1965, he joined Allied Bank Ltd as the managing director. He later became the president of United Bank Ltd in 1974. By 1977, he served as the chairman of the Pakistan Banking Council.

His literary career began in 1961 with the publication of his first book, Chiragh Talay. This work contains 12 satirical columns and an article titled 'Pehla pathhar'. Dr Zaheer Fatehpuri noted that the "Yousufi era" of Urdu literary humor commenced with this release. Since then, 11 editions of this book have appeared. His other notable Urdu books include Khakam Badahan, Zarguzasht, and Aab-e-Gum. The novel Aab-e-Gum was translated into English as 'Mirages of the Mind' by Matt Reeck and Aftab Ahmad.

His final book, Sham e Shair Yaran, was released in 2014 at the Arts Council of Pakistan in Karachi. Zehra Nigah presided over the ceremony where she stated that neither Yusufi nor his books will ever get old. While many lovers felt the book was a disappointment compared to his previous standards, Yusufi reported he was unsatisfied with it. He noted that his frail health led others to insist on its publication.

Personal life

Yusufi lived in Karachi during his later years and appeared frequently on TV programmes and at seminars. He died in Karachi on 20 June 2018 after a protracted illness. He was 94 years old at the time of his death. His funeral prayer was offered at Sultan masjid in DHA, Karachi, on 21 June 2018.

Awards and recognition

The President of Pakistan awarded him the Sitara-i-Imtiaz in 1999. He received the Hilal-i-Imtiaz in 2002, which is the highest literary honour provided by the Government of Pakistan. He also earned the Quaid-i-Azam Memorial Medal for his distinguished services in the banking industry.

Other honors include the Pakistan Academy of Letters Award for 'Best Book' in 1990. He was also a recipient of the Hijra Award and the Adamjee Literary Award for 'Best Book'. An English-language daily newspaper in Karachi described him as a wordsmith par excellence.