Rahimullah Yusufzai was a Pakistani journalist, political analyst, and security analyst well known for interviewing Osama bin Laden and Afghan Taliban commander Mullah Omar. He also worked as a war correspondent.
Early Life and Education
Yusufzai was born in Pakistan on September 10, 1954, in the Shamozai village of the Mardan District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He attended his village primary school before moving on to public schools in Peshawar and Jhelum. Rahimullah attended D.J. Sindh College and also the University of Karachi.
Career
Yusufzai was one of the first journalists to visit Kandahar, Afghanistan, to report about the Taliban in 1995. He was one of the few genuine specialists on Afghanistan, having reported on the country since the erstwhile Soviet Union invaded it in 1979. In 2016, he was also a regular news analyst on Geo News TV. He was the Peshawar Bureau editor of the Jang Group’s The News International and an op-ed writer for the monthly Newsline. Rahimullah is most known for conducting the final interview with Osama bin Laden. He also worked as a Time magazine correspondent in Pakistan. Rahimullah was also a correspondent for the BBC’s Pashto and Urdu services in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa area.
Awards and Recognition
Yusufzai was regarded as an expert on Afghan affairs and Pakistan’s Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). In recognition of his journalism achievements, the government of Pakistan initially gave him the Tamgha-e-Imtiaz (Medal of Excellence) in 2005. On March 23, 2010, he earned the President of Pakistan’s Sitara-i-Imtiaz Award (Star of Excellence) for his achievements in journalism.
Death
Yusufzai died of cancer on September 9, 2021, after a 15-month battle with the fatal disease. His four sons and two daughters are among his survivors. His funeral service was held in his hometown of Inzargi, Katlang, Mardan District, and he was laid to rest on September 10, 2021. Following his death, Prime Minister Imran Khan, Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Asfandyar Wali Khan of the Awami National Party, Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao of the Qaumi Watan Party, Federal Minister Chaudhry Fawad Hussain, Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists, and others expressed their condolences.