Born in a remote village in Pakistan, Siddiq Salik studied English Literature and International Affairs at the Punjab University, Lahore. He began his career as a lecturer but soon turned to journalism, working in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting before joining the Pakistan Army as a Public relations officer. He came to Bangladesh (then East Pakistan) in January 1970 on a tour of duty which ended on 16 December 1971 with the fall of Dhaka. After two years as a prisoner of war in India, Siddiq Salik returned to the Army, where he served until his death in the fateful Bahawalpur crash in 1988.