rural areas around the country . She and her siblings were left alone often and given the freedom to explore nature because her parents were busy and there weren ’ t a lot of children around . There were only a few government houses . By the time she had graduated from high school , they were living in Lahore .
“ From the very beginning a strange and beautiful thing happened - I was a born artist .” Farah recounts how she and her family knew from her earliest years that art was part of her DNA . She drew on everything from the walls in her home to her homework . As a result , they decided early on that she would attend the University of Punjab to get a degree in Fine Arts . At 16 she was accepted into the university for B Honors which she explains is a 3 year Bachelor ’ s degree with 1 year for a Masters . Once she had completed her first year at the university , she saw a recruiting advertisement for Pakistan International Airlines flight attendants . The other part of her DNA was to be a world traveler and this was her chance . Farah boldly applied without telling her parents . She tells me that this is something that was not done especially back then because girls in Pakistan were not allowed to travel alone and it would be very difficult to get permission for that . “ But my father was a very broad minded person . I was brought up differently , so I had the confidence to go .” Her father was broadminded , but when she was hired by PIA she had to promise him that she would continue her studies at the university while working . Farah kept her promise to him working at night and attending classes by day . “ It was just my good luck or I don ’ t know , but soon after I joined the airline my hometown of Lahore became a base of PIA .” She was able to see the world , live at home and get her education at the same time ! She graduated with her Masters Degree in Fine Arts with distinction . “ There were so many beautiful places which they have their own charm their own style their own culture so everything appealed to me at that time .”
It is obvious that Farah Iqbal has been an empowered woman from an early age who goes fearlessly after her dreams and can accomplish anything she sets her mind to . While she was drawing on her walls and decorating her homework letting that creativity flow , she was also secretly writing poetry . Farah explains to me that Pakistani culture at that time did not allow girls to openly express themselves in this manner . She says that her adventures in writing poetry were really futile because she didn ’ t get to share it with anyone and in fact she threw it all away . She laments the fact that she didn ’ t have a teacher because poetry is a medium that requires instruction not unlike art . “ I studied art and I got an education , so my artistic skills were refined in a way that I can produce good artwork . Poetry is even more difficult ( than art ).” While traveling the world and studying at the university as an 18 year old , Farah was trying to write poetry again . It was no use because she says that poetry is like a cup of water that flows out . She didn ’ t have enough life experience at 18 to create that type of substantial flow . It wasn ’ t until years and years later after reaching a point of maturity with drawing that she switched successfully to poetry . At that point in life she had lived and lived and was able to express freely her emotions and inspirations . Two volumes of poetry were birthed and published !
Art has always been a part of Farah ’ s life as I have mentioned and on my first meeting with her at the Pakistan
Center for the Independence Day Festivities I had the pleasure of seeing several of her pieces prominently displayed . She is adept at using several mediums no doubt because of her education , but also because she is truly gifted . During a fashion show and gala recently she donated a drawing and watercolor to be auctioned off for charity . I asked her about her artwork donations and work on fundraising . “ I am very generous in that respect . I donate something or I volunteer my time . I ’ m generous in that because I believe that whatever we do in life is only how we relate to other people . That is the best thing to do and that is what gives me happiness and satisfaction . I elevated my soul in a way that I get a lot of happiness out of that . I can then go ahead and do everything for myself .”
The Pakistani Chamber of Commerce Vice President , Zaki Mirza , presented Farah with an award at the Gala Fashion Show . I talked to Zaki Mirza that night before he honored Farah . He sang her praises saying that she has been involved in numerous ways in the Pakistani community that have benefitted so many . She received The Pioneering Television Channel Award for her work on TV One . I asked Farah about the award and she explains that TV One is the only Pakistani television station which broadcasts from New York and now Houston throughout the US and Canada on its own dedicated beam . TV One is available on Dish Network and operates on a large scale . “ It is an amazing thing . No other channel can do that not even Indian , Pakistani or Bangladeshi television stations . That is the pioneering of live television in the south Asian community .”
Mr . Riaz Baber , the owner of TV One , visited Houston in search of
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