Saleem Safi

Saleem Safi is a Pakistani journalist and television presenter who specializes in foreign policy and terrorism. He hosts the talk show Jirga on Geo News while also contributing columns to Daily Jang and The News International.

Early life and education

Safi was born on 7 March 1968. He belongs to the Mulagore tribe and hails from the Mardan District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. After completing his schooling, he graduated from the University of Peshawar. He is currently based in Islamabad.

Career

Safi began his professional journey as a reporter for News Network International (NNI) in Mardan. He eventually rose to the position of Bureau Chief for NNI in Peshawar. In this capacity, he covered Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, FATA and Afghanistan. His reporting focused heavily on the Afghan conflict and Pakistan's tribal areas.

He transitioned into print media by writing columns for various national newspapers. Between 2000 and 2008, his writings in Daily Mashriq, Daily Aaj and Daily Pakistan received praise for their coverage of the pre and post 9/11 era. He has written more than 1000 columns covering Pakistani politics, foreign policy and socio-religious issues. In 2004, he published his book Afghanistan: The Role of US, Taliban and Pakistani Religious Parties.

Electronic media became a major part of his career during the Pakistani media boom. He hosted a prime time Pashto talk show titled Jirga on PTV Peshawar from 2002 to 2004. Because of popular demand, he launched "Saleem Safi Kay Saath" on PTV World in 2005. This Urdu program ran from Islamabad until 2008. He also hosted the Pashto language show Siyasat on Khyber TV between 2007 and 2008.

At the end of 2008, Safi joined Jang Media Group and Geo TV as an anchor and analyst. He currently hosts the show Jirga on Geo News. His work involves interviewing significant regional leaders such as Nawaz Sharif, Pervez Musharraf and Asif Ali Zardari. He has also interviewed Hamid Karzai, Gulbadin Hikmatyar and Abdullah Abdullah. His documentaries and talk shows reach viewers across the entire country.

Safi serves as an expert commentator for international broadcasters. He is often invited to provide analysis for BBC News and Voice of America's Pashto language programs. His expertise covers Afghanistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Pakistan. He has authored several books, including China Pakistan Economic Corridor- Myth & Reality and Dirty War 2001–2023.

Awards and recognition

Safi received the PTV Award for Best Compere of Current Affairs in 2002. He was also named Journalist of the Year 2021 by the Agahi Award for excellence in journalism.