[4] Shahid Iqbal was born on 5 July 1953, and was educated at the Cadet College Petaro in 1966, graduating in 1971.

[5] He joined the Pakistan Navy in 1972 and attended the Pakistan Naval Academy in Karachi where he graduated in 1974 with a degree in operations research, gaining commission in the Navy as Sub-Lieutenant in the Naval Operations Branch.

[6] He also attended the National Defence University in Islamabad where gained his MSc in War Studies.

[2][8] On 22 August 2006, RAdm Iqbal was relieved by German Rear Admiral Heinrich Lange, and returned to Pakistan.

[14] In 2010, VAdm Iqbal took retirement from the Navy and was subsequently preceded by Vice-Admiral Asif Sandila as VCNS.