Hijab Imtiaz Ali

Hijab Imtiaz Ali (1908–1999) was a Pakistani writer, editor and diarist. She is a pioneer of romanticism and a well known name in Urdu literature. She is also considered the first female Muslim pilot after she obtained her official pilot license in 1936, although Zuleykha Seyidmammadova from Soviet Azerbaijan had qualified as a pilot two years earlier, in 1934.

Personal life Hijab was born in 1908 in Madras, British India. She was from an aristocratic family of the princely state of Hyderabad Deccan.

Hijab is a notable name in Urdu literature. She started writing at a very young age. One of her best-known works "Meri Natamam Mohabbat", which is considered one of the best love stories ever written in Urdu literature, was written at the age of twelve.

In the 1930s, Hijab married Imtiaz Ali Taj,

Career Pilot Hijab was passionate about flying. She trained at the Lahore Flying Club and also took part in many competitions organised by the club. Hijab obtained her pilot's license in 1936. In 1939, The International Women’s News reported that Hijab had become the first Muslim woman in the British Empire to obtain an ‘A’ license as an air pilot.

Writer Hijab, whose writing career spans more than 60 years, is known for her romantic stories in Urdu literature. Her stories revolve around romance, women, nature and psychology. Her writing was often related to reality and contained a lot of imagery of life. Her repeated use of words and a unique construction of sentences, stands out in her writing. Hijab's stories used the same characters in different stories and scenarios. Some of the famous and memorable characters from her novels are Dr Gaar, Sir Harley, Dadi Zubeida, and Habshan Zonash.

Hijab became an author at an early age. She published her first short story at the age of 9. Her story was published in 'Tehzeeb-e-Niswan' and was well received by the readers. Her stories were published by two popular magazines of the era, namely ‘Tehzeeb-e-Nizwaan’ and ‘Phool’. She also worked as an editor for both the magazines. At the age of 12, Hijab wrote her first novel "Meri Natamam Mohabbat" which is considered one of the best love stories written in the Urdu language. Some of her other famous works include Lail-o-Nehar, Sanober Kay Saey Mein and Tasveer-e-Butaa’n. She is considered the first woman in the Indian subcontinent to publish short stories that gained recognition.

Zalim Muhabbat