Saleem Safi is one of Pakistan’s most recognised television journalists, best known as the host of Jirga, the long-running current affairs talk show on Geo News. This Saleem Safi biography covers his early life, journalism career, books, controversies, and his current status in 2026, drawing on verified public sources.
Quick Facts
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Real Name | Saleem Khan Safi |
| Date of Birth | 7 March 1968 |
| Age | 58 (as of 2026) |
| Birthplace | Mardan District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan |
| Nationality | Pakistani |
| Religion | Islam |
| Education | University of Peshawar (graduate) |
| Profession | Journalist, TV Anchor, Columnist, Political Analyst |
| Known For | Hosting Jirga on Geo News |
| Spouse | Not publicly disclosed |
| Social Handles | X (Twitter): @SaleemKhanSafi |
Who Is Saleem Safi?
Saleem Safi is a Pakistani journalist and talk show host for the show Jirga, specialising in foreign policy, terrorism, the Kashmir conflict, the Afghan conflict, and the politics of Pakistan. He is one of the most consistent voices in Pakistani political television, known for a direct, sometimes confrontational interviewing style with politicians, military figures, and religious leaders alike.
He is associated with Jang Media Group and hosts an Urdu talk show on Geo News called Jirga. Beyond television, he remains an active newspaper columnist, publishing regularly in the Urdu and English press.
Early Life and Family
Safi belongs to the Mulagori tribe and hails from the Mardan District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in Pakistan. He was born in what was then West Pakistan, in a region now part of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Public information about his immediate family — parents, siblings, wife, and children — is limited; Safi has kept his personal/family life largely out of media coverage, and no verified details about a spouse or children are available in credible reporting.
Education
Safi graduated from the University of Peshawar and is based in Islamabad. Some secondary profile sites describe him as holding a PhD, but this is not corroborated by Wikipedia or established journalism-industry biographies, so it should be treated as unverified.
Career
Early Reporting Career (Late 1990s–2000)
After his studies, Safi began his career as a reporter for NNI (News Network International) in Mardan, where he rose to the post of Bureau Chief of NNI in Peshawar. As Bureau Chief, he covered all of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, FATA, and Afghanistan.
Newspaper Columnist (2000–2008)
From 2000 to 2008, Safi’s columns in Daily Mashriq, Daily Aaj, and Daily Pakistan were praised for their in-depth coverage of the emerging situation in the pre- and post-9/11 scenario. Through his writings across more than a thousand columns, he addressed Pakistani politics, foreign policy, Afghanistan, and socio-religious issues.
Entry into Broadcast Television (2002–2008)
Safi hosted his own prime-time Pashto talk show, Jirga, on PTV Peshawar from 2002 to 2004. Due to popular demand, he relaunched the show on PTV World as “Saleem Safi Kay Saath” in Urdu in 2005 from Islamabad, hosting it until 2008. From 2007 to 2008, he also hosted a talk show called Siyasat on the Pashto-language channel Khyber.
Jang Media Group and Geo News (2008–Present)
At the end of 2008, Safi joined Jang Media Group and Geo News as an anchor, columnist, and analyst. He has hosted Jirga on Geo News continuously since, alongside writing columns for Daily Jang (Urdu) and The News International (English). The show airs on Geo News every Saturday and Sunday night and remains one of the network’s flagship political talk formats.
Author
Safi has published several books, including “Aur Tabdeeli Laayee Gayee,” “China Pakistan Economic Corridor – Myth & Reality,” “Aur Tabdeeli Gale Par Gayi,” and “Dirty War 2001–2023,” alongside his earlier work on the US, Taliban, and Pakistani religious parties in Afghanistan. His 2004 book, Afghanistan: The Role of US, Taliban and Pakistani Religious Parties, remains a frequently cited early work.
Awards and Recognition
- PTV Award for “Best TV Compere” (2002)
- Agahi Award, “Journalist of the Year” (2021)
Controversies
Safi’s decades-long career covering sensitive political and security topics has periodically put him at the center of public disputes:
- 2018 – Censorship dispute with Daily Jang: Safi tweeted that a column he had written on the political situation was not published in Daily Jang, alleging censorship, and posted the rejected article. The tweet was later withdrawn. Around the same period, other columnists including Talat Hussain and Mosharraf Zaidi raised similar complaints about articles being dropped.
- Online harassment following political criticism: Safi has faced organized social media backlash on multiple occasions after criticizing political figures on-air, including campaigns by supporters of political parties he has been critical of. Press bodies, including journalist unions, have publicly condemned such harassment and called for stronger protections for media professionals. These episodes reflect the broader pattern of pressure faced by Pakistani political anchors rather than a single, dated 2026 incident, and readers should treat any specific claim about a “2026 controversy” involving Safi with caution unless confirmed by a credible outlet — no verified new controversy specific to 2026 was found on international-standard sources at the time of writing.
As with all political commentary, Safi’s on-air positions — particularly on relations with political parties, the military establishment, and Afghanistan policy — draw both strong support and strong criticism depending on the audience’s political alignment. This article presents his career record rather than adjudicating those disputes.
Personal Life
Safi is based in Islamabad. Details of his personal and family life, including marital status, are not part of the public record in verified sources.
Saleem Safi in 2026
As of 2026, Saleem Safi continues to host Jirga on Geo News on weekend nights, covering Pakistan’s domestic political landscape, Afghanistan-Pakistan relations, and regional security issues, including coverage touching on Iran-US tensions and Pakistani diplomatic responses. He remains a regular columnist for Daily Jang and The News International, and continues to be one of the more prominent senior voices commenting on Pakistan’s evolving media-freedom environment, a subject that has drawn increased attention across the Pakistani press industry through 2026.
Selected Bibliography
| Title | Year | Topic |
|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan: The Role of US, Taliban and Pakistani Religious Parties | 2004 | Afghan conflict analysis |
| Aur Tabdeeli Laayee Gayee | Undated | Pakistani politics |
| China Pakistan Economic Corridor – Myth & Reality | Undated | CPEC analysis |
| Aur Tabdeeli Gale Par Gayi | Undated | Pakistani politics |
| Dirty War 2001–2023 | 2023 | War on terror retrospective |
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Saleem Safi?
Saleem Safi is a Pakistani journalist, columnist, and TV anchor best known for hosting Jirga on Geo News.
How old is Saleem Safi?
He was born on 7 March 1968 (some sources cite 1967), making him 58 as of 2026.
What show does Saleem Safi host?
He hosts Jirga, a weekend current affairs talk show on Geo News, which he has hosted since joining the channel in late 2008.
Where is Saleem Safi from?
He is from Mardan District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, and belongs to the Mulagori tribe.
What newspapers does Saleem Safi write for?
He writes columns for Daily Jang in Urdu and The News International in English.
Has Saleem Safi written any books?
Yes, including Afghanistan: The Role of US, Taliban and Pakistani Religious Parties (2004) and Dirty War 2001–2023, among others.
What awards has Saleem Safi won?
He won the PTV Award for Best TV Compere in 2002 and the Agahi Award for Journalist of the Year in 2021.
Last updated: August 2026
