Pakistani humorist Mushtaq Ahmad Yusufi passes away

Well-known Urdu humorist and satirist Mushtaq Ahamad Yusufi died on Wednesday in Karachi. He was 94. Yusufi was admitted admitted to a private hospital a few days back and was undergoing treatment for pneumonia.

A banker by profession, Mushtaq Ahamd Yusufi served many national and private financial institutions of Pakistan.

Born in a family of academics on September 4, 1923, in Jaipur, Rajasthan, Yusufi completed his graduation from Agra University and LLB from Aligarh University. Soon after, his family migrated to Pakistan.

His quick-wit and one liners were very popular and were always compared with another iconic satirist of Urdu, Ibn-e-Insha.

Some of his quotes became so popular that they are now being used as idioms. For example—‘Mard ki aankh aur aurat ki zaban ka dum sab se aakhir main nikalta hai.’ (A man’s eyes and a woman’s tongue die last)

On men and their disposition, he said, ‘Ek Franceesi adeeba kya khoob keh gayin hain ki main admiyon ko jitne qareeb se dekhti hun, utnay hi kuttay achay lagtay hain.’ (A french litterateur has said a wonderful thing that as much as I see men closely, I start liking dogs more!)

On wise men—‘Samajhdaar admi nazar hamesha neechi aur neeyat kharab rakhta hai.’ (Wise men always keep their eyes down and intentions malicious.)

He was respected as a banker too and was awarded Quaid-i-Azam Memorial Medal for distinguished services in banking.

Some of his well-known humour books are Chiragh Talay, Khakam-ba-dahan, Zarguzasht, Aab-i-gum, Sham-e-Shair-e-Yaaraan.