Iqbal was born in 1929 at Sialkot, Punjab (now in Pakistan).[19] His parents used to go to the British Resident's Office to Srinagar for arranging civil supplies. He was 15 days old when his mother died at the age of 28 years during an epidemic. He (along with his elder brother)[lower-alpha 1] was taken immediately to Srinagar and brought up by his maternal grandmother who managed his early education.[2] He studied at Tyndale Biscoe School in Habba Kadal for basic education.[21]