Iqbal started his career with National Football Championship departmental side Pakistan Public Works Department (PWD) in 1983.

[2] He later moved to Pakistan Airlines in 1985 where he played for the side till 1995 and winning the National Football Championship twice.

[3] Iqbal made his international debut on 22 December 1985 in a match against Maldives in the second 1985 South Asian Games held in Bangladesh.

He started against Poland under-21 team losing by 0–3, and played against Iran where he got a red card at the 43rd minute in the eventual 0–1 defeat.

[2] In 1989, he was regular starter at the 1990 FIFA World Cup qualification in the country's first participation in the tournament, featuring in all the four games.