Hilaly was born in 1911 in Bangalore. He joined the Indian Civil Service in 1936 at the age of 25,  and opted for Pakistan during  the independence of Pakistan in 1947 and settled in Pakistan along with his family in 1947.
Hilaly was born in 1911 in Bangalore. He joined the Indian Administrative Service in 1936 at the age of 25, and chose Pakistan during the partition of India in 1947 and settled in Pakistan along with his family in 1947.