Ghulam Haider was born in 1908 in Hyderabad (Pakistan).He learnt music from Babu Ganeshlal.

He studied dentistry but gave up the work because of his inclination towards music. He worked in the theatre in Calcutta as a harmonium player at the Alfred Theatrical Company and then moved to Alexandra Theatrical Company. He briefly worked with the Jenaphone recording company as composer.

He got his big breakthrough film with D.M. Pancholi's Punjabi film Gul-e-Bakavali (1939) followed by Yamla Jat (1940). Khazanchi (1941) the following year was a huge commercial hit.His music in the same film initiated a revolution. Khazanchi's refreshingly free wheeling music not only took the audiences by storm but also made other music directors sit up and take notice. Combining popular ragas with the rich verve and rhythm of Punjabi music, Haidar ensured that the Indian film song would never be the same again.His basics being too strong in Northern Classical music enabled a complete command over folk patterns of Punjab. Khandaan the following year with Noorjehan was again a mega hit establishing Haider at the very top.

He moved to Bombay in the year 1944 to pursue his cinematic interests.He worked in films like Chal Chal re Naujawaan (1944), Phool (1944) and Humayun (1945). His best-known compositions were sung by Shamshad Begum.As soon as he heard the voice of a singer, he composed a tune suited to that voice. It was essential to him that the singer conveys emotion enough to create the situation the scene demanded.

Ghulam Haider acted like a mentor to some of the singing legends.Ghulam used Shamshad Begum's voice skillfully.He was the music director/composer for Noorjehan's four punjabi films Gul Bakavli (1939), Sassi Punnu (1939), Yamla Jat (1940) and Choudhury(1940) and her songs created a sensation in the Punjab: particularly Bas bas ve dholna. It was Master Ghulam Haider who spotted her talent and went on to play a vital role in grooming Noor Jehan for her film career. He played an equally important role with the legendary Lata Mangeshkar It was Haider who gave Lata Mangeshkar her first major break in Hindi films with Majboor (1948) and took her to S. Mukherjee to sing in Shaheed (1948) but Mukherjee rejected her saying her voice was too thin!

Like many others Ghulam Haider too returned to Pakistan after the country’s partition and continued his work. During this tenure he scored music for Beqarar, Akeli, Bheegi Palkein and a couple of Noor Jahan films Gulemar and Laila. He died at the young age of forty-five.Ghulam Haider's success encouraged other Punjabi music directors to enter films. These included Shyam Sunder, Husnlal-Bhagatram, Feroz Nizami and Hansraj Behl. Today Ghulam Haider's name is almost forgotten. What remain are remnants of his work.