Acclaimed writer and satirist Mushtaq Ahmed Yusufi passed away at the age of 97 on Wednesday in Karachi, after prolonged ailment. Mushtaq suffered from pneumonia a few days back after which he was shifted to a hospital in Karachi. The writer was placed on a ventilator after his condition deteriorated, while he was pronounced dead by the doctors on Wednesday. Yusufi was born in Rajasthan, India, on September 4, 1921. He received a Master’s degree from Agra University, and studied LLB from Aligarh Muslim University. The veteran writer arrived in Karachi along with his family during the partition of the sub-continent in 1947. As soon as the news broke, admirers of the deceased offered tributes and condolences on social media. Twitter user Atique Lashari (lashari_atique) said: “End of an era. The greatest literary humorist and satirist in the Urdu language Mushtaq Ahmed Yusufi passes away in Karachi.” User Hasan Wakeel (Hasanw181) said: “Today, Urdu has lost its shining star. The demise of Mushtaq Yusufi has left a void impossible to fill for generations. His humour and writings will always be remembered. May Allah grant him place in Jannat.” For his services in the field of literature in Pakistan, he was awarded Sitara-e-Imtiaz in 1999 and Hilal-e-Imtiaz in 2002 by the president. Published in Daily Times, June 21st 2018.