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Ibrar in his pilot's uniform
Ibrar in his pilot's uniform

Dad’s sacrifice launched Muslim high flyer


25/ 2/2005

FLYING planes and challenging negative images of Islam has earned British Airways' first Muslim pilot an 'Oscar' at a prestigious ceremony in Manchester.
Rochdale-born pilot Ibrar Ul-Haq received the award at the biggest celebration of Asian success and achievement in Britain, the Lloyds TSB Asian Jewel Awards held at the Sheridan Suite in Manchester.
Ibrar is very modest about his achievements.
After receiving his crystal trophy (above right) he said: "It's quite a shock to win, and yes I am honoured but there were so many other people in my category that have done a great job in their professional field and who also deserve the award. I really don't know how or why I won!
"But I am pleased and so is my family. My wife Shaneela put her own medical career on hold so I can progress in my own. I am grateful to have such a caring wife and family who have always supported me."
The thirty-nine-year-old Oxford graduate has been a pilot for 15-years. It was due to his father's determination that he went on to become so successful.
Ibrar's dad spent his life working in the mills of Rochdale but he ensured his son received a good education at Balderstone High. He went on to gain a master's degree in medical statistics at Oxford University, where he subsequently taught.
While at Oxford, the-father-of-three, was selected from 60,000 applicants by BA to train as a pilot. He successfully got his 'wings' and rose through the ranks to become the first Muslim pilot captain.
Said Ibrar: "Whilst studying I was aiming for a career in research and was even thinking of joining a pharmaceutical company after graduation.
"But my father sent me a cutting he saw in the paper. It was a BA advert for cadetship.
"I decided to apply just for the interview experience as I knew it was going to be a difficult process and there were six interview stages. In the end I became one of a 100 chosen from 60,000 applicants to get a place.
"The training took a year-and-a-half. I loved every minute of it, It was hard work, but I was receiving the best tuition a would-be pilot could get and was determined to succeed.
"I never really thought of myself as the first Muslim pilot at BA. It only hit me a few years after I joined, when Asian parents started coming up to me with their children and introducing me as BA's first Muslim pilot. Their children seemed impressed and wanted career advice from me."
When Ibrar is not flying planes, he is hugely involved in community work and helped to launch the first Muslim television station, Bridges TV in the US last year.
He said: "After 9/11 it was important to have a Muslim TV channel in the US to overcome the negative stereotypes people had about Muslims and at the same tome to bridge the gap between the different communities.
"Since its launch, we have received great feedback from the general public as we are showing programmes about what Islam is really about - programmes about Muslim women for example. We are beginning to get more subscribers and the channel was even featured on CNN and Fox."
A UK launch of Bridge TV in Rochdale is scheduled this spring.
Ibrar is also a school governor, voluntary director for Crescent Radio in Rochdale, magistrates and trustee of the Al-Shifa Trust raising money for eye treatment in Pakistan.


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